Royalty
by CiliaReturning
Summary: Set in an AU after season 3. Willow deals with her magical abilities going out of control, Buffy deals with her friends not needing her as much. The girls are set on very different paths. Will they find their way back to each other? Buffy/Willow
1. Prologue: Time for a change

**Royalty  
>Cilia<strong>

Author's note: Right, many years ago I wrote a sprawling story that started with a little one called Royalty and the overall story was never finished. So now many years later I'm going back to what started it all for me on the BtVS fan fiction writing scene. Now I've got it planned out, so it's time to bring this puppy home one last time before I get too old to be legally allowed to write stuff like this.

My plan is to rewrite the entire original series of stories into a tighter and more focused narrative. Using the plot and most of the dialogue from those old stories of mine, while at the same time tightening up the overall storytelling style hopefully making sure it flows better. Let us hope that works.

Finally don't go looking for any solid connections to the show itself here, some of this stuff was originally written back in 1999 before we even had things like a chipped and souled Spike, one eyed Xander or a fun witchy Willow, so a lot of this was and is just me taking our beloved characters from early on in their lives and running with them like crazy. Now enjoy!

**Prologue: Time for a change**

Just like every other night, Buffy Summers, the Vampire Slayer, fresh out of high school, patrolled the cemeteries of Sunnydale. Her best friend Willow Rosenberg tagging along acting as bait and backup, and it was a well practiced routine by now.

Willow acted the lost and upset girl, the bad mean vampires showed up and Buffy kicked their butts, but tonight something was different. As Willow hit behind a headstone watching Buffy dispatch her would be attackers. That's when the little voice that had been nagging at her ever since that business with Anya and Cordelia making that stupid wish, started whispering sweetly to her again.

Just do it, the little voice in the back of her head whispered to her as Willow struggled to her feet almost not in control of herself. It's so easy just point and say it. Just like in the books you've been sneaking out of the library the seductive voice in the back of her head insisted. Oh doesn't' she look pretty too, go on help your pretty Buffy the voice teased her. Willow shook her head and bit down hard, but slowly and shaking like a leaf she raised her hand pointed at the vampire her friend was fighting and uttered one word.

"Burst…" she whispered and then she gasped feeling as if the air was being sucked out of her lungs. The raw magical energy built up in her, gathered at her fingertip and then burst out in a flash of brilliant green light.

Buffy was thrown to the ground as the force of Willow's magic slammed into the vampire's chest, knocking it on its backside and then it, with a confused look on its face, staggered to its feet. Fingering the green glowing ball of magic embedded in its chest, the bloodsucker while turning to attack Willow exploded not into dust, but into a shower of gore and bodily bits. Without even thinking Willow threw up a hasty shield of glimmering green energy, like a bubble around herself, as the vampire bits splattered against it like bugs on a windshield before turning to dust.

"Willow?" her best friend asked and looked at her wide eyed and Willow could feel the uncertainty and fear radiating of her friend, although the fear she was feeling was much greater. It wasn't the first time Willow had sensed fear or uncertainty in Buffy, but it was the first time she'd felt it directed at her.

"I got to…" Willow turned and she was about to run away when she felt her friend's hand on her shoulder and she took in a sharp breath.

"Willow is there something you want tell…" Buffy didn't' get to finish her question as Willow spun around, eyes blazing with green flames and slammed her glowing hand flat against Buffy's chest.

"I said; I've got… to go!" she shouted and the next thing Buffy felt was a massive release of energy as she was hurled back against a headstone, breaking it cleanly in half in a shower of broken marble.

"Willow…" she coughed and struggled to get to her feet. By the time she'd shook of the aftereffects of Willow's mystical whammy and started looking around she saw nothing but the dust of the vampire and a burnt circle in the ground where Willow had thrown up her shield. "Giles!" she said to herself as she ran for the Watcher's house and full speed.

Once Buffy was gone Willow peaked out from behind a tall tombstone and looked around the destruction she'd caused, then a lock of her hair fell in front of her face.  
>"Uh…" she muttered as she took hold of a silvery lock of her hair and her eyes went wide as she turned and darted for home. "Not good…" she muttered to herself over and over again as she raced for home. She raced for safety knowing that no place near the Hellmouth or Buffy could be safe for her now.<p>

Rupert Giles was many things; a watcher, a father figure to a whole host of young men and women, a lover of good tea and he could play the guitar and sing. What he was now however was nervous; he was sitting at his desk, studying a long wooden box that had showed up on his doorstep that same day. He slowly opened it, peaking at the contents as if they would in some way be harmful to him.

"Why now of all days," he muttered to himself and then flung the lid on the box open and ran his fingertips across a very elegantly crafted sword made of blue steel that was almost black in color.

He heard a frantic knock at his door and closed the box then he heard a loud crack just as he was about to stand up to get the door. Then his Slayer, correction of his primary Slayer ever since Faith had been turned towards the light, burst into the room

"Buffy what is the matter?" he asked seeing her obvious state of panic as Buffy gestured around while still holding onto the handle and bits of his front door, pointing in the direction of the cemetery.

"Willow… whammy… magical badass… vampire explode-o!" she blurted out and his eyes went wide and then they both jumped as lightening crashed outside, with not a cloud in the sky and green tint to it, it sounded like it came from somewhere across town near where Willow lived. Then in keeping with his reserved nature he calmly took of his glasses and started to polish them.

"I see… is that my door handle?" he asked as Watcher and Slayer wondered just what had gotten into their sweet Willow.

Willow stared out of the window of the bus she'd caught out of town after hastily packing and leaving a note for her parents. She wondered if they'd even notice as she caught a glimpse of the: You are now leaving Sunnydale sign and then the bus was speeding towards San Francisco. She had an address for a coven there that would take her in, she'd had it for a while, and they had said they would teach her what they could in exchange for her knowledge of the Hellmouth.

Yet this was not the way she'd imagined leaving. She'd planned on telling Buffy that night, she'd planned on it being less explode-y, she'd planned on asking Buffy to come with, she'd planned on telling Buffy a lot of things.

Sighing she closed her eyes for a short nap, ran her renewed promise of always to be calm and in control through her mind and waited for the bus to pull in at the station on the other end, far away from it all, but she kept seeing Buffy's face so full of uncertainty and fear. Murmuring that it would all be better in a few weeks, it would all be so much better. She opened her eyes and saw her reflection in the glass, three silvery streaks in her otherwise red hair, she closed he eyes, it would be better, and she would make it so.

**To be continued in Chapter 1: Where in the World is Willow Rosenberg…**


	2. Chapter 1: Where in the world is Willow

_Author's note: A big thank you to Dorian for jumping in as a beta-reader on this one. On a seperate note the chapter names sometime might come of as a bit silly or just plain off, but as I've said before this is a rewrite of a old story of mine so I'm trying to keep the old chapter names as much as possible. Now lets get this show on the road and post this before I fiddle with it for another four hours._

**Chapter 1: Where in the world is Willow Rosenberg**

Three weeks, she thought to herself as she ran a stake through the third vampire of the night, three weeks of frantic searching for any clue of where Willow might have gone and it had led her here.

"Willow I hope you know the trouble I'm putting myself through to find you," Buffy Summers, vampire Slayer and newly graduated High School student muttered.

She then frowned as she flipped her stake over in her hand and hurled it at the fleeing vampire who'd just seen his undead buddy dusted.

The stake landed in his back with a thud and he exploded into dust while trying to grasp it from behind.

Buffy slowly walked over to the vampire, now scattered dust blowing in the gentle breeze, her eyes darting between the dark shadows of the alley as she bent down and scooped up her trusty stake, Willow had watched her make this one, she remembered.

"Willow... you better not be dead because we've got some serious talking to do." She sighed to herself as a red tabby cat ran in front of her and meowed at her, making her giggle. "Yes don't mind the crazy slayer kitty," she told the tabby, scratched it behind its ears then she stuffed her stake back into her leather jacket and headed for wherever her slayer sense took her next.

Just as she was out of sight a tall man in a tailored black business suit seemingly emerged from the shadows of the alley, sniffing the air exposing white fangs, he pulled out a cell phone and made a call. "She's here. The Slayer has arrived in San Francisco sire, like you predicted. I'll bring my report right away," he said in a cultured accent and then a black car pulled up and he slipped into the back. "Take me to the Prince," he said and the driver nodded.

Buffy, without any better idea where to go, slipped into an small all-night diner and ordered a short stack and some coffee. She watched as the sugar cubes made little ripples in the dark liquid when she dropped them in one by one and then almost jumped as the waitress slipped her the pancakes.

"He's probably not worth it?" she stated and Buffy looked up with a confused look on her pretty face. "Uh?" she asked and dropped the third sugar cube into her pitch black coffee.

"Just saying, if it is some stupid boy that has you in such state. He's probably not worth it," the waitress explained with a friendly smile. "Oh... no... I mean... it's not a boy, but a girl... but not... like that..." Buffy stammered a bit as the waitress just nodded and then vanished as the next customer called. "Boy... or a girl?" Buffy asked herself, once again going over every little detailed regarding Willow since graduation in her mind. Her mind drifted back to certain event she hadn't thought much of, but now it sort of made a lot of sense.

It had been maybe four weeks ago, graduation over, the world saved, Faith one of the good guys again and Spike in the interest of pure self-preservation had even pitched in, but that wasn't the important bit. Willow had been come to her house and she'd arrived with a large book under her arm. Asking a bit shyly if they could just hang out and of course Buffy always made time for Willow.

She now realized sitting in a nearly empty diner in another city late at night, that she did always find time for her red headed friend, more so then for anybody else in her life. Her mind drifted back to that night as she sipped her sugared coffee.

There they had been; Buffy making a new stake after losing her old one and Willow just reading the book she'd brought, sometimes making slow gestures with her fingers and sometimes glancing over at Buffy when she thought she could get away with it, but you don't peek at a slayer without her noticing. Still, there had been a nice silence between them as they enjoyed each other's company. Buffy didn't mind one bit that Willow was stealing glance at her as she worked. The only sound had been Willow turning the pages of her book when it had happened - Buffy nicked her thumb on the knife she was using to make Mr. Pointy Jr.

"Oh hell, " she cursed, dropping the stake and looking at the blood flowing from a cut on her finger and then there she was; Willow, right at her side, faster than you could say red headed witch cares a lot about her slayer.

"Here let me..." Willow said and gently took her hand then she muttered something that Buffy couldn't quite make out and ran her pale finger down the cut and Buffy could swear she felt sparks fly between them as the cut closed up.

"How?" Buffy asked wide eyed and all Willow did was grace her with the cutest little smile.

"Borrowed a book of Giles, don't tell him alright?" she winked and then leaned down, slowly kissed the healed finger and the moment seemed to drag out a bit too long, then her head shot up.

"There all better..." she exclaimed in a very squeaky voice, her face flushing and she hurriedly turned back to her book as Buffy slowly examined her healed digit.

"Willow, I don't know what to say, but thank you," Buffy said in a loving tone of voice turning her hand over. "You always look after me, don´t you?" She half asked and Willow without turning around had just nodded.

At the time Buffy had not understood what all the fuss was about, but now she was sort of getting there. "Don't worry I won't tell Giles, " she remembered saying in a cheerful voice, thinking that her friend was just worried about the 'borrowed' book and the reply from Willow was a muted: "Oh... oh okay good, don't tell Giles yeah, we don't want Giles mad at us now do we, " in a mumbled voice as they both returned to their tasks.

In the diner, Buffy glanced up at the clock, 12:34, just after midnight. Swallowing a mouthful of her pancakes she sighed again, and then holding up each hand like she was weighing out her options.

"A boy or a girl?" Buffy asked herself while slowly rubbing her face with the palms of her hands. "Willow... we so need to talk," she sighed as the waitress swung by to fill up her cup and way too cheerfully for Buffy's liking slipped in: "Oh Willow, so a stupid girl then?" With Buffy thinking that this night could not get any worse, scratch that this month could not get any worse.

The Club had no name, but it was built on for a lack of a better term a magically friendly place. Thus it drew all manner of beings mystical and magical to it. Good for business in a city with a large supernatural community.

Thus it was that Willow Rosenberg, a witch, moved through the darkness of the club, swaying her hips back and forth. The various children of the night and just plain old humans danced around her and she felt her pulse racing a bit, the smell of magic was in the air and most importantly she felt alive.

So far it had been great getting away from Sunnydale, the Hellmouth and Buffy, nobody here she could hurt or drive away by a slip of the tongue. She stopped for a second, brushing up against a girl with blonde hair that smiled at her sweetly.

"Love your hair," the girl shouted over the loud music and Willow felt the girl's fingers brushing the silver streaks in her otherwise flaming red hair, but then with a fright the cute girl backed away, causing Willow to frown as she felt somebody step up behind her.

"So you're the new witch in town?" a tall and dark figure asked from behind her, the voice was smooth and sophisticated and it's owner the cause for the pretty blonde girl's hasty retreat.

"That depends on who wants to know," Willow replied with her best innocent and shy smile plastered on her face as she turned around, but at the same time she was getting her handy bursting spell ready just in case.

"Interested parties," the man replied with a smile obvious in his voice even before Willow fully faced him. Willow stifled a gasp, but managed to show no outward sign of being shocked. The coven she was staying with had given her the run down on who where the major players and this man, with his white fangs showing as she smiled, although not the absolute power commanded plenty of respect.

"Willow," she said and offered her hand to the man, making sure that she had the other one free in case some liberal blasting was required.

"And do you know what I am?" he asked as he gently took her hand and kissed it, his lips not cold, but not warm either pressing on the back of her pale hand.

"Of course, you're a messenger," she stated bluntly acting unimpressed, pulling her hand back and she spotted a man in a black business suit standing behind the man, clearly sizing her up as he checked something on the inside of his jacket.

"That I am. You see I along with my superiors, we are curious about your reasons for being here?" the sharp dressed man stated, guiding her towards a more quiet area of the club.

"And since when do the Undying concern themselves with a lowly witch?" Willow asked with a raised eyebrow, running her hands down the tight corset she had on. Something she'd never be caught dead in back home, but here it felt right.

"When said witch arrives from the Hellmouth," the man replied while being handed a glass of amber liquid and Willow watched as he sipped at it, she could tell it wasn't blood but it was something close to blood.

"Alright, I guess that's a good enough reason, but I'm afraid you'll be a bit disappointed," Willow said sweetly as she looked around for something to drink

"Try me?" he asked and motioned for the waitress to bring Willow something to drink and the young woman nodded and then smiled at Willow.

"Well then let's sit down first okay," Willow suggested as she accepted a goblet with red liquid from the waitress, their fingers brushing and impishly Willow gave the girl a little mystical jolt which caused the waitress to give her a surprised little smile. She then lowered herself into the dark leather couch and looked at her host from across a low table.

Now that she saw the man up close in the dim light of the club she noticed his features: Probably Italian by birth, a distinctive nose, he had brown eyes tinted with green, black hair with streaks of grey in it and a tall forehead. He was very handsome by any standards while radiating an aura of assured calm and power. The business suit clad man took up position behind him, hands crossed over his chest.

"In your own time Miss Rosenberg," the man said as he clearly noticed the young witch sizing him up.

"Well before I spill my life's story, can I at least have your name?" she asked flashing him a winsome smile.

"Just call me Alfeo, Miss Rosenberg, now your reasons for being here please," Alfeo introduced himself then urged her to explain her presence and Willow sensed that she was being spared precious time by a very busy man or at least what looked like a man.

"In as few words as possible then," Willow said with a bit of a sigh. "I needed to get away," she said taking a long sip from her goblet.

"Explain," Alfeo said calmly and nodded for her to carry on as he watched her pale neck move as she swallowed down the contents of the goblet almost greedily like it might be her last drink.

"You see this?" Willow asked and motioned to her red hair, with its silver streaks and her jade green, formfitting corset and paint on black leather pants hugging her shape.

"I may be many things my dear girl, but I'm still a man," Alfeo joked. "So how could I not… notice?" he added with a small smile that caused Willow to blush just a little, but she mentally suppressed the growing redness in her cheeks.

"Well this, this isn't who I am. Well not most of the time anyway," she tried to explain.

"Let me guess; the grade A student?" Alfeo asked then sipped his drink again and raised an eyebrow. "Maybe even the librarian's assistant when not in class?" he probed further, seeming to see right through her.

"More or less yes," Willow said and took another sip from her goblet.

"So you came here to cut loose?" he asked, but it sounded more like a statement and not a very happy one at that.

"Well not actually cut loose. Maybe have a little fun," Willow said with an innocent little smile that usually worked so well, but it failed utterly on the clearly worldly man she was talking to.

"You know the rules?" he asked with a firm glare causing Willow to visibly gulp, she'd been given the city's strict code of conduct from the coven upon her arrival.

"Yes and I will honor them," Willow nodded while trying not to look meek, she hated being meek now.

"That's all I needed to hear," Alfeo said and stood up in one fluid motion, uncoiling his tall frame and smoothing down his tailored blue suit.

"You're leaving?" Willow asked looking up at the tall man with her best and cutest smile beaming up at him. That voice in the back of her head telling her since Buffy had a much older man once why not her.

"The fun you want is not the kind of fun I can give you," he simply replied. "Plus I sense there is someone special you wish to share your new self with," he added and disappeared into the back of the club with his bodyguard in the black business suit following. Willow didn't really care who he was though, but she did feel a bit miffed about being shot down completely with a cryptic statement however.

Who do I want to share this with? she thought to herself out loud and looked into the goblet. As she focused her magic into the remaining liquid an image formed in it stayed there for a breathless moment. Then it flickered away leaving Willow with a little smile on her face and then she saw the cute blonde from earlier coming back and the smile turned impish.

Across town, Buffy was not having a good night, she viscously roundhouse kicked a vampire against a wall and then hurled a discarded piece of a broken two by four at his stomach, pinning him in place. "Stay put," she ordered the vampire as it clawed at the piece of wood sticking out of its gut.

His two undead companions where circling her as she just raised her eyebrow at them. The first one rushed her and she somersaulted over him, sailing over his head and stabbing him in the back as she landed, yanking out the stake as he exploded into dust.

His friend probably thinking he had a small chance of taking down the Slayer lunged at her, but instead found himself impaled on Buffy's stake face to face with the angry Slayer.

"Not smart uh?" Buffy asked in a cheerful voice and the vampire nodded before exploding into dust all over the frazzled slayer.

She turned to the vampire she'd pinned to the wall and put her foot on the two by four she'd launched into his stomach. "Now just tell me where I can find witches in this city," she asked sweetly and the vampire just laughed at her. "Stupid slayer," it spit at her. "Coming here not knowing the rules, just stake me and be done with it you bitch," he growled and Buffy angrily rammed her stake into its chest which just caused even more dust to explode all over her as she yanked the stake back.

"What is it with this place," she shouted she then heard movement at the entrance of the alley, readying herself she blew a bit of dust of her shoulder then a quick gust of wind blew it out of the alley.

"Come on then, the more the merrier," she grinned eager for a fight, anything not to think about Willow.

"Yes I guess it can be a bit of a bother not having the usual fear from the local vampires," Rupert Giles, her Watcher, said as he stepped into the light brushing some of the offensive dust stuff of his shoulder. "That they don't want to talk even when you've got them nailed to the wall is just rude," he added with a bit of a smile.

"Giles, I asked you not to follow me…" Buffy exclaimed with a frown and threw up her hands, then she stopped and noticed that her watcher was very un-tweet-y. "And what on earth are you wearing?" she asked and nodded at the black overcoat, gray turtleneck and the generously cut pants her watcher was sporting making him look a lot less stuffy.

"To answer you first question, they insisted on coming," Giles said and on cue Spike, Buffy's former nemesis, now sometimes ally and all around bad-ass vampire, and Anya, a vengeance demon turned human, stepped into view on either side of her Watcher.

"To answer your second questions; the remaining ladies of Sunnydale decided that I was in need of a 'make-over'." He finished the last word laced with sarcasm.

He stepped up to her and seemed to study her, noticing the dark circles under her eyes and her frazzled hair. "Buffy have you slept?" he asked genuinely concerned for her and if Buffy gave a shy smile shaking her head, but then steeling herself and looking at the former baddies that had showed up.

"Okay Giles I get, but what's the deal with you two?" Buffy asked and glared at her two not so solid allies.

"Well you see pet, Sunnyhell is boring in the summertime so I thought I'd check on San Francisco, since I had so much fun here during the sixties and seventies," Spike replied with a huge grin on his face. "Hippies did the strangest thing to your head when you had some of their blood," he added with a dreamy look that was just this side of disturbing.

"Let me just say yuck and you what's your excuse?" Buffy asked the former vengeance demon with a pointed glare, because in the days she'd spent thinking what might have set her friend of, what came up again and again was the vengeance demon's wish granted to Cordelia last year.

"Xander wanted to find Willow and you and also same reason as Spike's," Anya answered with a shrug. "I have fond memories of this place and it's a city where anything goes," she added with a grin.

Buffy sighed and rubbed her face again with both hands. Great, this was just great. Two Brits and a ex-demon had come to her aid, along with a missing Xander, She wasn't too sure if it this a good thing or not.

"So did you leave anybody guarding that little gate into hell we call home?" She finally asked, as if things couldn't get any worse she pictured Cordelia and Wesley bravely defending the Hellmouth.

"Faith is there, of course, with Wesley and Angel on call. It is summer so there is always less activity," Giles explained to her who had been left behind. "She'll do fine," he added as if to reassure Buffy, making a mental note of talking to her about how one can't be everywhere at once.

"So have you had any luck locating her?" he asked.

"None what so ever," Buffy admitted her shoulders slumping and she gave out an almighty sigh.

"How about you three? Any luck?" she asked the trio that had arrived to give aid, as pissed off as she was with them for following her, she was glad that now at least she wasn't alone.

"None!" sighed the former demon.

"We've been somewhat unsuccessful," Giles said and unfolded a tourist map of the city that he'd pulled out of his coat.

"Not even a strand of red hair!" Spike cursed and adjusted his leather coat, looking at the two by four sticking out of the wall. "But remind me never to get on your bad side again," he added with a cheeky grin and Buffy just gave him a winsome smile then threw up her hands again.

"Okay so we don't have zip to go on," Buffy exclaimed. "Just great!" she muttered and crossed her arms across her chest, pouting a bit.

"What about the occult stores?" Giles pondered out loud studying the map in his hands. "We only just arrived at sundown, but you did check them first when you arrived didn't you?" he asked his Slayer and when no reply came Spike grinned, only to be glared at hard by the Slayer fingering the stake inside her jacket.

"You didn't do it, did you?" the vampire asked with unbridled glee, not letting this one go even on the threat of a very painful of death.

"Well no I was…" Buffy stammered and blushed.

"…just running around like a headless chicken trying to find her and maybe get something going," Anya said off handedly. "But that's just my theory," she added and gave a smile, causing Buffy to developed a raging headache or it could be two days of no sleep catching up with her.

"Stop it all of you!" she finally shouted so loudly it rang through the alley, causing a familiar looking red tabby cat to panic and knock over a trashcan.

She was tired, it had been three weeks since Willow had left without telling anybody now, it had been forty eight hours almost since she'd beat out of a vampire that he'd seen Willow board a bus for San Francisco, now after a frantic two days without sleep she was a mess.

Her feelings for Willow were all jumbled and she kept thinking back on all the little things that passed quietly between them over the years. She really just wanted her red haired witch back and she wanted her back so bad it hurt. Taking a deep breath, shrugging off Giles attempt to put his coat over her shaking shoulders she turned to Anya, hoping to change the subject.

"So where's Xander?" she asked the ex-demon after she'd vented her frustration into the night sky.

"He well tripped over something earlier tonight," Giles said trying to hide his snicker, but failing.

"What?" Buffy asked with a happy if not cheerful smile on her face. "A mummy… bug girl?"

"Neither, it was Anya's suitcase. Knocked his head on the bed post, so Anya felt it was best to keep him -ahem- secure in bed where he is of the most use anyways." Giles replied deadpan and gave a small smile.

"He's back at the hotel," Anya explained. "Getting better," she added and Buffy just shook her head.

"Well since it's now two in the morning, we might as well check out the occult shops tomorrow," Buffy stated and stifled a yawn then sheepishly looked at Anya. "You said hotel?" she asked hopefully, her body finally realizing that it had been a very long time since her last nap.

Giles just nodded and put his arm around her and guided her out of the alley towards the hotel. The two not so evil anymore members of the Willow search party looked at each other and then looked at Buffy as she was being led away.

"There's more to this must find Willow now thing than meets the eye," Anya muttered looking after the Slayer supporting herself against her Watcher.

"Old news pet, old news," Spike replied with a grin on his face. "Very old news," he added just to make sure the point got across Anya just shrugged and walked after pair then turned around to look at Spike who seemed to be making up his mind on what to do.

"You coming?" she asked the vampire who'd surprisingly showed up just as they were leaving town offering his help and more importantly his car as transportation. Along with a hasty excuse about wanting to see San Francisco again, but everybody knew that the big bad vampire had a big soft spot for the red headed hacker.

"Like I have a bloody choice?" Spike asked nobody in particular following the ex-demon out of the alley with a sideways glance at the two by four still sticking out of the wall covered in dust. Suppressing that shiver again at seeing what Buffy could be pushed to do if she as worried enough.

"Hey who knows this could be fun trip," Anya said with a smile and Spike shivered again this time at the thought of what fun trip with Anya would entail.

It was very late and the sun would be rising very soon, when Willow slowly walked back to the house owned by the coven that had taken her in. Her hair was a mess and her corset wasn't tightly fastened around her body anymore.

She gave a guilty smile as she thought back to the club, pushing that blonde girl up against the wall had felt so good and the way she'd giggled. Sort of like Buffy would that annoying voice reminded her causing her to shake her head and focus on the house up ahead.

The house the coven was a nice red brickstone townhouse, no complaints there. She looked up at her window and then slowly put her hands against her sides, palms facing down and with a faint green glow around her pale white hands she rose into the air until she was at the level of her window. "Pass code: Redheads do it better," she whispered with a smirk, triggering the ward on the window so it opened, she floated in and landed gently on the carpeted floor of her room. She walked over to the light switch, flicked it and then nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Lily!" she exclaimed in a startled voice as she came face to face with her mentor in the coven that was sitting at her desk in a green robe, she was a short woman about Buffy's height Willow had noted upon first meeting her in person, she had a pixie like face and short black hair, her eyes were dark blue and they always seemed to make Willow want to tell the truth.

"Your friends are in town," the woman named Lily said from where she sat, a red tabby cat rubbing against her leg and purring. "Your friends seem very worried, the blonde girl the most," she went on as Willow frowned.

"No..." she gasped and then caught Lily's scowl. "I mean it's not bad that she came, it's just that… well I need more time… I mean did she look alright?" she finally asked, sitting down on her bed, trying rather sheepishly to keep the corset from falling off her body

"No she did not look alright and I fail to understand why you don't want to be with her" Lily asked in as stern a voice she could muster without sounding like she was scolding the young witch, picking up her cat, well familiar and scratching it behind the ears for a job well done.

"I needed to get away, I told you that," Willow expressed with a sigh as she lay back onto the bed, her hair splayed around her head in a red and silver halo. Lily stood up then walked over to the bed and looked straight down at the rebellious witch that had come into her coven's care.

"Running away never helped anyone," she told the flame haired witch patiently as the cat meowed seemingly in agreement.

"I know I just want to see what it's like, you know without them protecting me," Willow tried to explain and then added. "Without her… seeing me like this," she added as she plucked a blonde hair out of her own hair and blew it away.

"You hardly need protection Willow, why don't you tell them how far you've come?" Lily suggested smiling paternally down at Willow.

"No, not now, it would scare them," Willow answered back straight away shaking her head.

"How can you be so sure?" Lily asked and put the cat down as she sat on the bed next to Willow and stroked her hair.

"They only know the fluffy Willow and I'd like to keep it that way for now," Willow replied a little too firmly as Lily pulled out a few more blonde strands of hair out of the tangled red and silvery mane of the young witch and gave her questioning look to which Willow just shrugged.

"You mean you're afraid that Elisabeth will stop liking you if you change?" Lily asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, that's not the reason, it's just…" Willow didn't finish because Lily was gone, no rushing air, no flash of light, just gone like she'd never been there at all. The only sign of her was her red tabby cat slinking out of the room.

"I HATE when she does that!" Willow shouted with anger and guilt mixing together as a thunder clapped outside. Willow closed her eyes and took in a lungful of air and slowly let it go. Control and calmness are the magic user's best friends and right now she'd had precious little of both.

**To be continued in Chapter 2: Of Dreams and Dreamers...**


	3. Chapter 2: Of Dreams and Dreamers

_The Author speaks: Woo! The next chapter is here. Thanks to my beta reader __Dorian__ for putting up with my output this weekend and reminding me that even though I love the word 'silvery' it should be used in moderation. To those who favorite-d this, alerted it or just read or reviewed, thanks guys. Does this old warhorse good to know that people are still reading my stuff 13 years on. Now I WAS going to wait a bit before uploading this, but that just ain't how I roll :)_

**Chapter 2: Of Dreams and Dreamers**

Buffy stood under the hot spray of the shower in the hotel room, well more like hotel suite, that they were staying in. It was really nice, like super-she-could-never -afford-this-in-a-million-years kind of nice. The explanation for how her friends had come upon their palatial suites was that somebody had owed Anya a favor from way back when and she'd decided to just leave it at that because she was too tired to care.

After scrubbing away two days worth of dust and grime of her body she leaned her head against the wall and just let the water run down her lithe body. She ached in places, she'd not been on her usual form tonight so a few lucky shots had been landed and it showed. Yet she was most focused on the small pink mark on her breastbone, it was shaped like a small starburst and it showed the point of impact from Willow's spell.

Fingering it she remembered the look on Willow's face when the red haired witch had thrust her palm against her chest and then with a burst of unimaginable energy sent her flying and unlike her usual cuts and bruises that always faded rather fast this one just wouldn't go away.

If Willow can hurt me so it shows, she thought and then shook her head not wanting to think that thought through to its end. She wasn't scared of Willow, more like worried and wanting nothing more than for her friend, her best friend to trust her enough to share her troubles.

Stretching out her body she under the water she felt her shoulders and back crack and she winced slightly. Willow the things you do to me directly or indirectly, she thought and then blushed slightly thinking about how the last time she and Willow had hung out before everything went pear shaped the happy hacker had kept stealing glances at her when she thought she wasn't looking. She thought about Willow kissing her finger, she thought about how Willow was always there and how she'd make everything better by just being around. With a rising blush she thought about Willow's doppelganger in tight leather and felt butterflies in her stomach, just as her hands started moving to places that didn't need to be washed she let out a long groan and clenched them into fists.

She closed her eyes and started to lightly bang her fists against the tiled wall of the shower, her wet hair clinging to her back. "Snap out of It Summers," she whispered to herself as her fist unclenched and she gently rubbed the tiny pink starburst Willow had left on her chest. You don't know if Willow is even like that, heck you are not like that, she thought to herself as she turned off the shower. Stepping out of it in all her naked glory she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes then slowly opened them "Am I like that?" she asked her reflection. When her reflection didn't answer she hung her head and reached for a towel. No easy answers for me tonight, she thought to herself as she dried off.

Spike sat in a very comfortable chair and tried to read his book. Paging through the drivel that was Anne Rice's latest description of vampires wasn't his preferred form of entertainment, but one had to keep up with the current stereotypes of the day after all.

"Bloody poofs all of them put together! What will they think of next? Shirtless all the time, maybe vegetarianism or maybe we'll start to sparkle in the sun?" he snorted to himself as he heard some tale-tale sounds coming from Anya and Xander's suite. He then heard the door open and saw Giles returning after claiming that he needed some fresh air shortly after their return to the hotel.

"Well Rupert still up at this ungodly hour?" Spike commented without looking up from his book as Giles hung his coat up and pulled uncomfortably at his turtleneck. "Thought all you Watcher types where early to bed, early to rise," he joked, trying to get ruse out of his upper class countryman.

"Is Buffy asleep yet?" the Watcher asked the vampire as he took a seat next to him, ignoring his baiting, but not before librating a few small bottles of scotch from the mini-bar along with two glasses.

"Came out of the shower looking like she had some serious stuff running through her little head and went straight to bed," Spike answered. "Or maybe she's more hung up over Red than any of us think," he added with a smirk trying to draw a comment from the watcher who was not taking the bait at all tonight.

"What of Anya and Xander, where are the two lovebirds?" Giles asked pouring himself a glass and then pouring Spike one while pointedly ignoring the vampire's suggestions about the state of affairs between his Slayer and Willow.

"He's regained consciousness and from the sound of it he's very much alive," Spike answered and watched Giles pour out two glasses of what looked like to be very good scotch. "Mate I don't drink unless you're going to tap a vein for me," he half-joked. Giles spared him a grin and took one glass and drained it.

"Oh they're both for me… mate. Oh and here is to not having enhanced hearing," he toasted the vampire and quickly emptied the other glass of its amber liquid and then looked at the puzzling vampire sitting across from him, a vampire holding his place in what looked like to be one of those trite vampire novels. "You sure you're alright Spike?" Giles asked while pouring himself one more for the road. Nobody really knew why Spike had changed sides all he'd say was that he liked the world just the way it was.

"Never been better why?" Spike asked back earmarking his place in the book, not out of any love for the story, simply because if he lost his place he'd have to start the chapter over again.

"No reason," Giles replied as he emptied his third glass and stood up, shaking his head not feeling in the mood to match wits with the bloody vampire at this hour of the night. "Good night Spike," he stated simply and retreated to his room.

This is just too much fun, Spike thought to himself. Well it'll be dawn soon, time for all little vampires to go bedy byes. Bloody hell! I'm starting to sound like them. Note to self stop talking to self, first sign of madness and we have had enough of that over the last century or so.

"Wonder what the Slayer is up to," he muttered and turned his eyes to the closed door of Buffy's room hearing only steady breathing. "And how I wish some people would be QUIET!" he burst out as he once again heart the hormonal coupling going on in the other suite. It sounded to his sensitive ears like Anya was trying to merge Xander's body with the mattress in the suite across the hall.

Trying to get back into the book again Spike wondered if joining the white hats really meant endless nights of listening to hormonally charged sex, if so he was seriously reconsidering that idea of just going to some nice dark place on the southern hemisphere until it would be winter again and the annual end of the world rolled around.

But hells no he had to go and swear to the little witch when the snake had tried to eat them all, that he'd ally with them. That girl really was the most dangerous out of the bunch and even though her friends might not suspect it he knew, oh he knew that she had the ability to be just as ruthless as he could be. "The Slayer really has no idea", he chuckled to himself, thinking back on that fateful day when a very pissed of Willow had marched into his crypt and told him in no uncertain terms to help out or she'd magically neuter him. From there on he decided he'd be a long for the ride if only to see just how the Little Red Witch turned out. "How I do love a good show," he chuckled again and put his book down, deciding it was time to go find a bucket, the ice-machine and pay across the hall a little visit.

Buffy tossed her head from side to side as she slept fitfully, the bed was comfortable and it felt good to be out of her dusty clothes and lying naked among the soft sheets, but her dreams would not leave her alone. These weren't Slayer dreams, they didn't tell of doom and gloom, she didn't dream rivers of blood and watching friends being torn apart, in a way this dream was much worse and much better than those.

"Buffy," the sweetest voice she'd ever heard called out to her and her eyes fluttered open and she found herself lying in high grass with an endless blue sky above her. Thin white clouds rolled over head and the sun was warm and she dug her fingers into the ground.

"Is this a dream?" she asked the owner of the voice without turning her head, afraid that if she moved this would all vanish and she'd wake up alone in a strange bed with only the sound of Xander and Anya banging away across the hall.

"What do you think?" the voice asked, this time whispering into her ear. Buffy felt the warm breath tickle the side of her face and she slowly turned her head and saw Willow next to her, the sun reflecting of the silver streaks in her hair and her simple white dress clung to her body. Her friend giggled slightly at her baffled look.

"Willow?" Buffy whispered, not believing her eyes or any of her senses as she watched Willow gracefully stand up and smooth down her white dress that came to an end just above her knees, the red headed witch was barefoot and this caused Buffy to look down at herself, she was dressed in the same clothes she'd arrived in the city in, albeit cleaner and thankfully less smelly.

"Is it so hard to believe?" Willow asked her with a smile and offered her pale hand to Buffy. "Walk with me," she simply said as Buffy slowly reached out to take the offered hand.

"Where are we going Willow?" Buffy asked softly as Willow helped her to her feet and she could see rolling hills going rising and falling endlessly towards the horizon and the high grass moved in waves over them.

"To the end of the rainbow," Willow exclaimed with a wide a sweep of her hands as Buffy stood next to her with her eyebrows shooting sky high at her friend's behavior, or was it her subconscious posing as her friend.

"Are you serious?" Buffy asked as they started walking toward the horizon and she felt Willow's fingers brush against hers and she gave her a shy smile.

"No. But it beats 'to infinity and beyond'," Willow replied and then they stopped. "We're here," she exclaimed and pointed ahead toward the endless horizon, the sun now at their backs.

"Where is here?" Buffy asked looking around, at first seeing nothing but then Willow gave her smile and leaned against her ear. "The beginning," Willow whispered and swept her hand across the landscape that sprawled out below them. "This is the road you must walk," she said and looked down.

"What road?" Buffy asked as she looked down and she found that they now stood on brick road that stretched into the distance.

"This road symbolizes your life," Willow explained with that same gentle smile.

"Will you walk it with me?" Buffy asked in a shaky voice as she took the first step, a bit unsure about what was going on, she knew this was a dream, but it didn't feel like one that was for sure.

"It's your dream?" Willow answered and Buffy smile and offered Willow her hand. "Then walk it with me," Buffy stated simply. "If that is your wish," Willow nodded and took Buffy's offered hand and squeezed it.

"Who are those people?" Buffy asked when they had walked for awhile and she'd started noticing that they were passing people along the side of the road, some close to it, others far in the distance.

"Those are the people you've met or will meet. Some still with us, others passed on and some even not born yet," Willow explained and to her as Buffy's eyes scanned the landscape around them, trying to pinpoint the various figures, some very hazy as if merely a mirage and others were crystal clear.

"Is that Spike?" she asked in a shocked voice and pointed to the man playing with a young child, a girl. "That's the Spike that will be?" Willow answered simply and smiled at the sight in front of them.

"He looks so nice, yet sad," Buffy whispered to her friend, almost worried that the vampire could hear her say such a thing.

"That he is," Willow answered as they kept on walking and the image of Spike being the dutiful father figure faded behind them as they moved towards the uncertain future. Things started to weave in and out of sight in front of them.

On a hill Buffy saw Giles wielding a black sword while standing back to back with Faith, they were fighting of a hoard of all sorts of monsters, they where both smiling and she felt a bang of jealousy and Willow seemed to sense it and squeezed her hand.

"Who's that?" Buffy asked and pointed to a figure in the distance. It seemed to be waving at them, but she couldn't make out who it was, it wasn't anybody familiar that was for sure. "You'll find out soon enough," Willow answered her voice becoming more and more cryptic as the dream progressed.

Then Buffy froze. She saw two figures come into view. It was her and Willow, kissing and she looked at her guide. "Don't look at me I'm just a creation of your subconscious," the Willow that was with her giggled. "But that was you and me…" Buffy stammered and looked again but the image was gone. "Yes it was, wasn't it," Willow stated simply.

Buffy stopped when she felt rice land on her shoulder and hand and she saw a wedding in the distance under a full moon.

There was silence until the next scene came into view, a white house, perhaps the old mansion in Sunnydale. She saw herself, older than she was now, sitting on the lawn playing with a small child and Willow sitting on the porch swing smiling. "The distant future," Willow explained.

"But I…" Buffy tried to speak but the words died on her lips and she could only watch as the Willow guiding her wrapped her arms around her. "Look old? That happens you know," she giggled and kissed her cheek. "You're still the prettiest girl ever," she added making Buffy blush.

The next image was of a young woman, maybe sixteen years old, with reddish blond hair and mismatched blue and green eyes. She wore a green jumpsuit as far as Buffy could tell and she was holding a stake in one hand while the other glowing with an eerily familiar green glow.

"Is that?" Buffy asked as she watched the girl. The familiar features and the smile she'd always connected to Willow gracing the young girl's lips. "Yes it is and one day you will meet her," was the answer.

"Why are you showing me this?" Buffy asked as they stepped into a cemetery, dry leaves breaking under her feet and she glanced at her guide who was now slowly fading like the rest of the dream around them. "Because in the morning this will all be forgotten," Willow answered.

"So I won't remember any of this?" Buffy asked.

"I'm sorry, that's the way it has to be," was the answer.

"Wow! Will I really live that long?" Buffy asked and looked down at the headstones. Hers and Willows side by side and she thought she saw a fleeting shadow in the distance but it was gone before she could focus her eyes on it.

"If you choose the right path, then yes this is the future that will be," was the answer.

"I can't believe this will be all just fading memory when I wake up," Buffy muttered a bit unhappy about being given a glimpse into the future only for it to be taken away.

"Oh You will remember one thing though," Willow said as she turned around to face her, green glowing eyes staring into Buffy's making her gulp nervously. "What?" Buffy asked her face a mask of confusion.

"This…" Willow said as she put her hands on either side of Buffy's face, pulled her in close and kissed her. The kiss was passionate, one of those take your breath away type of affairs that up until now Buffy had not associated with Willow. Her blood felt like it was on fire, tingling sparks ran through her very being and the landscape melted away and she found herself staring into Willow's earnest face, just as about she was about to speak she woke up.

Buffy sat up straight on the hotel bed, the thin sheet that had been covering her pooling around her waist as she gently touched her lips and then touched the little pink starburst on her chest, she smiled and then lay back down again. She slept easy for the rest of the night, hugging a pillow and mumbling to herself. "Maybe I am" with a secretive little smile.

Giles was not dreaming in fact he could not fall asleep no matter how hard he tried. No matter how often he'd rearrange his pillow or flip his sheets over. Truth be told he wasn't tired at all when he really thought about it, he hadn't really felt tired ever since that box showed up at this doorstep. The same night Willow absconded for San Francisco leaving his Slayer in a panic and everybody rushing around like mad trying to find the missing witch.

With a grunt he swung his long legs out of the bed and stormed over to the closet, pulling out the long wooden box he'd brought with him. Almost slamming it on the bed he flung the lid open and studied the almost black sword again, the silver inlaid runes on handle where polished to a high sheen.

"Why now?" he asked himself as he picked it up the scroll that lay next to it. It was written in very obscure dialect and his mind translated the best it could once again:

The blade thou hold is the sword of the nights' protector. If wielded it brings about the end and the beginning. The one who shall wield it be shall be both with the dark yet in the light. The one of hidden magic burdened with blood of blue. Warning words shall thou heed; the dark one must be protected and aid thou must thy dearest child, before worthy are thou be proven. The fires must burn with harmony. Seek the wizard whose love's burden thou shares, the goddess's daughter whom the chosen one loves. Help them and then thy journey shall begin.

Groaning and taking of his glasses he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Bloody cryptic… never simple…" he muttered and rolled up the scroll before placing it back in the box next to the sword. He slowly lifted the sword out of its box. It was a simple sword, with runes and symbols engraved in silver along the hilt. He swung it once, twice. Hearing it sing as it sliced through the air.

Willow... You picked a terrible time to go on a trip of self-discovery, he thought as he picked up the sword's sheath and slid the sword in it with a bit more force the was perhaps needed. He hadn't found much about this particular blade, but what he had discovered filled him with unease. Things where changing rapidly around him and his adopted family. He placed the sword back in the box and turned to the desk in the room.

Sitting down he opened up his journal. "Just another destiny to follow," he muttered and uncapped his pen and started writing down his thoughts in a flowing script, the tip of the pen scratching the thick paper of his journal.

From the Journal of Rupert Giles:

Summer is upon us and I find myself faced with twin problems. Buffy, my slayer and in a way my daughter, still fights her fears of realizing that she might not be able to be there for everyone of her friends and her dread of facing the truth about her feelings towards her closest friend. I in turn face my own dilemma in the shape of for lack of a better term the Night Blade that was delivered to my door by parties unknown. It is a weapon of great power, of that there can be no doubt. What little text there is describes it as a weapon of great potential, but why it was delivered to me I do not know. Am I its caretaker or its wielder?

These dilemmas ironically have the same goal it seems if the scroll is to be believed. Buffy must find Willow and in turn sort out her own feelings and I must find Willow, first and foremost to help her and Buffy through this troubling time which I would have done without question regardless of prophecy bearing weaponry. Yet I also have to ask for Willow's aid. The scroll despite it being frustrating to read seems to have some bearing on our current situation. Although I fail to see what aid or knowledge Willow can provide on the matter. The girl has many talents no doubt, maybe I simply do not like being a pawn of prophecy anymore then Buffy does.

Giles sighed, capped his pen and closed the journal. Growing restless he wondered what in hell he was supposed to do now. He did not like seeing his Slayer, the nearest thing he'd ever come to having a child off his own suffer like this, but there was precious little he could do about it. Despite himself he cracked a small smile thinking that maybe this would all work out in the end like it always did. Then he was forced to chuckle as he heard a very angry ex-demon shout out: "Spike! You good for nothing bloodsucker you shall pay for that dearly!"

Across town in a brickstone townhouse with the window open and the wind blowing the curtains around Willow lay sleeping. Her clothes thrown around the room, her tight green corset hanging of the back of a chair and her tight leather pants kicked into one corner.

She lay on her side, half curled up into herself, the sheets offering little protecting from the chill of the night. Her body outlined by the white clinging fabric and her red hair spilling onto her pillow. She kicked her legs and muttered: "No" as she felt a familiar presence tugging at her sense even as she slept. Slowly opening her eyes she found herself in a familiar place, a tight white dress hugging her body, the mirrors all around her. This dream was very familiar to her she'd been having it for months, yet never remembered it until it happen again.

"Why have I been summoned here?" she demanded as she looked around the chamber of mirrors she found herself in yet again, feeling the soft material of the dress tickling her skin.

"You are troubled," said a soft female voice that she could never pinpoint the source of, she angrily looked around, seeing endless reflections in the mirrors.

"Of course I am troubled. I thought that was the reason for me coming here every single time I have a boo-boo," she mocked the voice and started checking herself out in one of the mirror as a way of defiance.

"Are you happy?" the voice inquired and Willow stopped her posing for a moment to think. She'd learned that lying to the voice didn't get her anywhere and that she'd just keep asking the same answer until the witch gave a truthful answer. Stupid subconscious or was it something else.

"No," she answered simply and brushed her silvery locks behind her ears as she looked around for the source for voice like so many time before and still found nothing.

"Is it because the girl is not with you?" the voice asked and Willow felt her blood boil as she threw up her hands and all her reflections did the same.

"Yes!" she shouted and angrily started to stomp around the chamber, clenching and unclenching her fists trying to get her fiery temper under control

"Why do you not go to her then?" the voice asked in that same soft voice, as Willow pulled at her hair in a vain attempt to gather her wits about her.

"I can't," Willow stated while holding two fistfuls of her hair, her eyes watering and in the mirrors she could see the green sparks dancing between her fingertips and in her eyes.

"Why?" the voice asked in that annoyingly soft voice that Willow knew she had to answer or the dream would just not end. She stayed silent for a while, breathing slowly, her chest rising and falling.

"Why can't you tell her?" the voice asked again and that was it for the frayed witch. She seemed to grow in stature as she pointed at one of the mirrors and at a green bolt of crackling electricity shoot from her outstretched hands shattering several of the mirrors. The glistening shattered fragments raining down all around her. "You know mighty well why," Willow growled and for good measure hurled another green bolt into the darkness left by the mirrors.

"But you are denying yourself happiness my child," the voice stated simply and as the mirrors slowly pieced themselves together all around Willow.

"How can you be so sure?" Willow asked, there was a hint of hope to her voice, her hair stood on ends and her fingers stung from the heat of the magical bolts she had released in her anger even though she knew this was just a dream.

"Time is nothing to me. I see what was, what is and what will be," came the answer as an image appeared in the mirrors. The image was not unknown to Willow she'd seen the same image in her drink earlier that night. It was an image of her and Buffy embracing, kissing and looking happy and full of life. Willow shut her eyes, but the image remained burned into her mind.

"It will happen, it has happened," the voice stated again this time the softness carried with a firmness that Willow had not heard before

"She'll never understand what I've become," Willow protested meekly as she kept her eyes shut tight trying to will the dream away before whatever came next.

"How can you be sure?" the voice asked and faded away.

"I just know," Willow whispered slowly opened her eyes, seeing Buffy standing in front of her she reached out to touch her. The dream of her friend wore a simple yellow sundress, she was smiling lovingly at her and her eyes shone with trust and love towards her.

"Hello Willow," the dream girl said in Buffy's voice and Willow cursed herself for not being able to give into this fantasy even just for a little bit. This wasn't her Buffy this was just a dream, just something made up by her confused mind.

"You're not real," Willow protested weakly as the dream girl moved in closer and smiled at her, that cute smile that she so loved to see.

"What is real?" the dream girl asked with a tilt of her head and Willow couldn't stop herself from moving closer, meeting her half way, raising her pale hand and running it through that soft blonde hair. "This is just a fantasy," Willow muttered as she felt herself close the gap between them.

"It could be real," the dream girl said with a small smile as she took Willow's delicate fingers into her hands and gently kissed the burning feeling off her magical outburst better, then she gently ran her hands up Willow's arms before settling on her slender shoulders and started gently rocking them both from side to side.

"I'm afraid," Willow whispered in an earnest and shaking voice, her hands in her dream girl's blonde hair now. "Don't be," the dream girl said as she caressed Willows' cheek, rubbing the thumb Willow had healed along the witch's lower lip.

"Will I remember this?" Willow asked and leaned in closer, shaking all over and her heart pounding in her chest. "This yes," the dream girl answered and Willow hurriedly closed the gap between their lips. "I can live with that," Willow murmured and kissed the vision of Buffy which then slowly began to fade away.

"Remember this," she heard whispered as the walls of the dream fell away around her and she started to come to in her bed with the sun caressing her cheek, rolling away from the sun she pulled the sheets tight around her naked body. "No… not yet," she muttered half asleep. Not yet ready to face the reality of her feelings she clung to the remands of the dream.

**To be continued in Chapter 3: In the Prince's Court...**


	4. Chapter 3: That Father and Daughter Talk

_The Author speaks: Right... so I said at the end of last chapter that this one would be called In the Prince's Court, well next chapter is totally called that I promise. This one is a bit shorter then usual, __ but I started writing this and felt it would totally work as a stand alone chapter. Again thanks to my overworked beta-reader Dorian and those who have read this, reviewed it etc. If you're getting a bit worried about Buffy and Willow ever getting together in this, have no fear it's only two chapters away now._

**Chapter 3: That Father and Daughter Talk**

The next day Buffy and Giles set out from the hotel to follow up on Giles' idea to search the local occult, magic and alternative shops in the city. No small task. But as he'd told Buffy, it was a far better plan then to simply wander the streets at night dolling out grievous beatings to any and all beings of the netherworld they could find.

Having spent the morning crisscrossing the city they decided that refreshments were in order and found themselves in the same diner Buffy had ended up the night before. The waitress remembering the blond girl graced her with a smile before eyeing up Giles rather openly.

"Welcome back dear," she greeted them handed over menus and winked at Giles, which caused Buffy to smirk. "Specials are on the back handsome," the waitress playfully purred to Giles, who to Buffy's annoyance didn't become nearly as flustered as she would have hoped him to become, if only for the sake of her mood needing uplifting. They sat quietly until the waitress brought them their drinks and took their orders. Giles politeness and accent causing her to what Buffy described as losing a fifty IQ points right where she stood.

Repeating her ritual from last night, dropping her sugars into her black coffee while Giles stirred his tea so it was up to the Watcher to start a conversation he'd been distinctly not looking forward to having, so he said the first thing that came to his mind.

"Since when do you drink coffee?" he asked and wrapped the teabag around his spoon squeezing out the last bit of fluid from it.

"Since when do you…" Buffy started up a retort but it died on her lips when she saw that Giles was genuinely worried for her but in his very stuffy way didn't know how to approach the matter. "Two weeks ago, didn't want to sleep. I needed to find Willow," she explained as he nodded back at her.

"Buffy we are all very concerned for Willow, but perhaps you're taking it…"Giles started trying to word his reply in as delicate a manner as he could.

"Taking it what Giles?" Buffy cut him off, her voice sounding tired and worn more so than angry. "I'm taking it bad yeah, but it's not like Xander isn't worried too right?" she tried to argue.

"Xander was equally worried for you and Willow. But he knows that you two can take care of yourselves. What surprises me is the near frantic level of worry you are showing," Giles stated and sipped his tea as Buffy stirred in her sugars.

"I…"she started and her answer died on her lips. She had talked to Xander the night before, dazed as he was from his luggage mishap and sporting a large bump on his forehead. He'd sounded so sure that Willow was just trying new things and that once she got it over and done with she'd be back with them.

"Stupid Xander," she cursed under her breath and Giles raised an eyebrow in response. "I mean I want to believe like Xander does that it's just a phase, I honestly do Giles, but it's… he didn't see her Giles," Buffy protested and her hand went over her chest. "He didn't feel it," she stated.

Giles studied his young charge, her face full of confusion and sadness, her hand over her heart in and almost romantic gesture as she talked about her best friend in her other hand she turned the spoon over between her fingers. "Have you perhaps thought that her initial outburst may have had other… reasons… did you react maybe to her in such a way that she might… have felt unwanted…." he stammered feeling very uncomfortable all of a sudden as the conversation shifted into new territories and Buffy just stared at him like he'd grown a second head.

The silence dragged out between them as he could see the spoon bending between Buffy's fingers as she spoke. "Well I was maybe just a bit freaked out at seeing her be all boom bam magical bad-ass, but it's not like I yelled at her or anything." She started to talk really fast. "I mean it's not like I couldn't have just hugged her and told her it was okay or that maybe I should have taken the hint when she was at my house with that stupid book and healed my finger up and kissed..." Buffy's confessional rant was cut off by the arrival of their lunch, the waitress giving Giles a sympathetic kids-right-look and silence returned to the table as they slowly ate in a comfortable silence, both feeling somewhat relieved that what had been said was over and done with.

"Now tell me why Spike and Anya come along on this little joyride?" Buffy finally asked her Watcher tired of the drawn out silence and the sound of her own chewing. "And I want to hear what you think not whatever flimsy reasons they gave," she added with a smile and all Giles could do was smile back at her, her smile always seeming to break him down so easily.

"Now you didn't hear this from me," he said leaning and adopting the same tone that his old aunts used whenever discussing the town gossip which made Buffy giggle. "Xander came at Anya's urging although I'm sure he did want to make sure you two were alright, well mostly you because he said that Willow would never do anything stupid," he explained with an apologetic smile as Buffy poked out her tongue at him.

"Anya will say that she just came with Xander, claiming wanting to see San Francisco again, but she did tell me that felt that Willow would need her help at some point," Giles explained remembering the ex-demon had been rather firm on that last point when she had showed up with her boyfriend on tow at his doorstep the day after Buffy had taken off in pursuit of their friend.

"Spike came I think simply because he craves action, it is not in his nature to sit and read prophecies or whatever that vampire drivel is that he's got his hands on this time," he then explained what he perceived as Spike's reasons for being with them this time around.

"So they're basically here because they're bored from research?" Buffy summarized in mock disbelief seeing that if Xander was so trusting he could have easily stayed behind, that if Spike wanted action he could have somehow found it closer to home, only Anya seemed to have a reason cryptic as it was. Yet it all had the common thread, at least to her, that staying in Sunnydale entailed being at the tender mercies of Giles and his books.

"Well…yes," Giles replied with a smile and was about to launch into a speech about the benefits of researching, but was stopped when the waitress returned asking if that would be it.

After having paid their bill which arrived with the waitress' phone number written on the back of it they set about their search again. They walked down the sunlit streets guided by Giles' trusty tourist information map now heavily marked with red.

"So…saw you take that bill with you," Buffy teased him, hanging onto his arm, despite their search she was enjoying having time out with Giles like this. Felt almost like she was hanging out with her dad again.

"Well…one is only human," Giles joked and looked down at Buffy's shocked face and shook his head. "Come now Buffy, we're all adults now or close to it or have you not noticed?" he asked as he watched her nose scrunch up and her brow furrow as she thought on it.

"Ermm no…" she replied rather sheepishly, not realizing that maybe they were all growing up. Cordelia was somewhere in Los Angles helping out Angel while trying to make it big in the city of Angels.

Faith had stepped up big and despite being the younger Slayer was in some ways more grown-up then she was, Xander was in a healthy-ish relationship now and Willow as she'd said in the diner was on her own and being a bad-ass witch from the looks of things, heck even Amy had stepped up during the last end of the world. Her thoughts made her frown if everybody was doing fine what then was she supposed to do.

"Everybody grows up, even Slayers and their end of the world fighting allies," Giles answered her unasked question. "You can't be there for all of them all the time you know," he added, trying to approach the other subject he'd meant to discuss with his Slayer for a while now.

"I know… it's just… I'm the Slayer, I'm supposed to be the one who saves the day and makes sure my friends are…" Buffy trailed of and leaned against Giles' tall frame and sighed. "I'm just so confused Giles," she finally admitted as he put his arm around her shoulders.

"We all get confused sometimes Buffy and I know this doesn't sound like much right now. But things will work out in the end and I'm sure you will do the right thing," he told her and it made her smile that no matter what Giles had faith in her.

They came to stop outside a small store with a wooden sign above the door, there where flowers outside the windows and they recognized a few books on display alongside crystals and herbs in the window

"Looks like the real deal," Buffy muttered as they studied the contents of the window display and then saw Giles literally beaming down at her with pride. "What? Just because I don't like the book stuff don't mean I pay attention," she answered with a bit of a huff trying to cover up her slip of knowledge. "And don't get any ideas of trying to get me into archaeology or history," she added and all Giles could do was grin.

They walked into the shop hoping against hope that this was the place they'd find some clues at last. It was close to being the last shop on their heavily marked map now filled with crossed out locations. They walked past shelves neatly lined with books, jars, parchments and all things mystical and some even magical enough to make the hairs on the back of their necks stand up. Seemingly endless items lined the walls of the store and it seemed somehow to be much bigger on the inside than the outside.

A red tabby cat sat by one of the shelves licking its paw and it looked up at them almost quizzically and Buffy couldn't help but get a sense of déjà vu. She knelt down and scratched the cat behind the ears. "Hello again kitty cat, are you the same kitty from last night?" she asked it and the cat only meowed as Giles looked around for any sort of staff in the sprawling store.

"Can I help you with anything miss?" a soft voice asked and a short dark haired woman in a green dress stepped into view. Buffy gave the tabby one last scratch and stood up, dusting herself off.

"Yes, we're looking for a… well a wiccan that might have come through here," she told the woman, hoping to at least get more than a what's that out of this time around.

"Many daughters of the goddess come through my doors," the woman replied and smiled as the tabby cat rubbed up against Buffy's leg purring.

The Slayer could not hide her joy at finally at least finding somebody who didn't stare at her blankly.

"About this tall, red hair with three silvery grey streaks at the front of it and very bright green eyes, but they used to be green-hazel," Buffy went on describing her friend wishing again she'd had the good sense of taking a picture with her when she rushed off.

"She's got a little mark here," she said pointing. "Oh and one eye slightly bigger and…" she went on recalling details she didn't know she knew about Willow's appearance.

"Powerful?" the woman finally asked after smiling sweetly at the blonde girl while she described her friend. Giles who had somehow vanished or maybe just got lost in the cavernous store, but now popped back up behind the woman holding crafted shopping basket filled to the brim with various items, scrolls, books and jars.

"No, a novice but with some talent," Giles answered the question as Buffy seemed to be somewhere far away as if describing Willow had stripped whatever happy mood away from her.

"Then she hasn't walked through my doors," the woman answered sadly, causing Buffy's shoulders to slump and the woman to give her a sympathetic smile.

"But there was a girl here not long ago that matches your description, although she was more powerful than the good watcher here indicates," the woman said giving Giles a knowing look and then looking Buffy over with soft eyes.

For some reason Buffy felt her stomach knotting up and she got the distinct feeling she was being judged. Giving a firm nod the woman turned to the stores counter.

"If your friend is in the city she's most likely staying with a coven which means you won't find her easily," she said and picked up a piece of paper. "Still most of the younger wiccans can be found in some of these places after the sun goes down," she explained writing down some names and sometimes just locations on a brown piece of paper and handing it to Buffy.

"Thank you," she replied earnestly and accepted the paper finally a clue and she carefully folded it and placed in the back pocket of her pants.

"I do hope you find your friend," the woman said to Buffy as she was ringing up Giles' shopping spree, which amused the Slayer seeing that she'd been right all along that everybody loves shopping. When they were just about to leave and the woman turned to Giles.

"And you shouldn't hide your gifts," she said in a scolding tone before turning and vanishing into the back of the store leaving the Slayer and Watcher very confused

"Gifts?" Buffy asked in a puzzled voice looking up at her Watcher, who was looking very troubled right now visibly shaken and giving of strong don't want to talk about it vibes. Much like Willow had been acting that night in the cemetery but with fewer green glowing blasts.

"I'll…I'll explain later…," he answered and rushed almost headlong out of the store. Buffy stood on in the doorway pouted and then frowned watching her watcher trying to hail a cab. "Oh no you don't!" she muttered to herself and turned back into the store. If Giles wasn't talking she'd just have to find out for herself what was the score.

"You're back already?" the woman smiled at her as she lifted a box with what looked leather pouches filled with crystals up onto the counter.

"Yeah I was kind of curious..," Buffy said and looked around and thought why am I nervous. "What gifts does my… friend have?" she then asked stopping herself from calling him her Watcher, not really liking to pry into her watcher's affairs but she was so sick and tired of everybody keeping something from her these days.

"Your watcher has a destiny, but refuses to acknowledge it," the woman answered and handed her a small book, but for some reason Buffy felt that watcher sounded very much like father. "Here, read this. Perhaps it will help," she added with a friendly smile.

"Oh he's not my…" Buffy almost blushed but decided not to protest too much. She accepted the small black leather-bound book from woman. "Never mind I will read this and thank you," Buffy said looking down at the book and turning it over in her hands.

"I can see why she likes you Elisabeth," the woman said in that soft voice and Buffy looked up to ask who liked her, but the woman was gone and she was back outside watching Giles try to get a cab. "Ooookay…" she stated looking down at the book, turning around and finding the store simply gone.

"Giles weirdness alert!" she yelled and she saw him turn around, do a little jump and then as it to just be sure he lifted up his glasses and peered at the storefront.

"Willow…so… much… to… talk about…" Buffy muttered as she grabbed Giles by the arm and dragged him back to the hotel. Time to get changed and go club hopping, she was going to track Willow down and…and… she wasn't too sure on what would come next, but the tracking down she knew she had to do.

Lily scratched her red tabby cat behind the ears watching from behind the illusion as the blonde girl dragged her father figure away. She smiled to herself, knowing Willow wanted her time away from her friends. But the girl clearly cared so much about her friend that she couldn't bear how distraught she'd been. So what if she'd given her a little bit of a nudge in the right direction.

Her cat meowed up at her and seemed to turn its head to the side almost of asking her if that had been a good idea. "Oh don't look at me like that," she protested towards the cat. "And they would be so cute together. Not to mention a force for good" she added and the cat just purred in response.

**To be continued in Chapter 4: In the Prince's Court… for real this time**


	5. Chapter 4: In the Prince's Court

_The Author speaks: Now I've got this done and another chapter lined up for later in the week as I've been working ahead due my upcoming birthday this weekend. Again a big thanks to Dorian my beta reader whom honestly the story wouldn't be half as readable as it is. This chapter is a bit heavy on the talking and setting things up, but don't worry it pays of next chapter. Finally I never meant for Alfeo to get this big of a role but I just really like writing the guys dialouge and mannerisms._**  
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**Chapter 4: In the Prince's Court**

Buffy roughly dragged Giles out of the last in a seemingly long line of clubs and hangouts on the list the mysterious woman at the store had given them earlier in the day. It was a beautiful night the moon was out and Buffy was blushing from her blonde head down to her toes as Giles just seemed bewildered by how the night had been going so far.

As Anya would put it later: Who would have possibly thought that a petite blonde girl with a body like Buffy's and a tall well-dressed guy with a sweet accent like Giles' both smelling to high heavens of magic wouldn't draw any attention at all while out clubbing among witches, warlocks, werewolves and what not.

"Eww!" Buffy exclaimed and tried to rub imagery sweat off her leather jacket and next to her Giles adjusted his glasses. "Can you say daddy complex much..." she commented to Giles about some of the girls that she had to pull him from the clutches of.

Meanwhile, he polished his glasses and fixed his hair. Her poor helpless watcher, or at least that's how she saw it, had been set upon by two young witches inside the club while Buffy had just fended of what had been a very amorous and what she was sure had been a girl werewolf or something that turned furry under the full moon.

"Well that was a bit... overwhelming..." he stated in his usual stoic manner, although having women half his age throw themselves at him wasn't unpleasant he would never admit that little fact to Buffy.

It had been rather overwhelming when they just wanted to find clues about Willow but the supernatural community in the city apparently watched out for their own. While Giles with years of experience not to mention his gender could deal with female attention Buffy had taken the female attention quite badly.

Well of course she would Giles would remind himself. Yet it seemed like the Slayer was beacon to some of the girls and women in the places they'd been so far and she was very uncomfortable about it. Male attention she could deal with and had done quite a bit of, but cute girls with impish smiles caused her to just freeze up.

"So where do our travels take us next?" Giles asked a bit theatrically.

Buffy checked her list and then pulled out the map she'd borrowed from Giles. "This way," she stated and gave one more shutter as a group of girls, young witches, came out of the club and waved to them both and giggled. Giles almost waved back but thought better of it seeing Buffy's frown grow.

They drifted away from the club towards the next one on the list. Spike was out on his own hunting for clues in places Buffy couldn't go without starting a fight and Anya and Xander had gone off gather information elsewhere, but both Buffy and Giles suspected they were just off being romantic and neither could fault them it was a nice summer's night after all.

"How many places can there be where a witch goes to cut loose?" Buffy muttered to no one in particular as she looked up at Giles, she had noticed the outline of his sword inside his coat but said nothing. The book she'd been given by the woman hadn't been too educational either it was really just a gathering of wise sayings, so nothing seemed to be going her way like usual.

"Apparently quite a few," Giles answered and then his ears perked up moments before hers did. "Did you hear that?" he asked pulling the sword out of his coat.

"Yep," Buffy replied drawing her trusty stake from her jacket as they broke into a run towards the alley where they'd heard what sounded like a struggle, stake and sword in hand ready to protected the innocents.

"Drop her," Buffy shouted as they ran into an alley, seeing what looked like a vampire feeding on a woman against the wall, but the woman wasn't struggling and there wasn't a mess of blood like usual.

The creature looked from its feeding with no hint of the demon on his face as the woman hurriedly pulled a scarf around the bite marks on her neck. Buffy and Giles advanced slowly on the pair slowly and glanced at each other.

"Now I don't know what is going on here…." Buffy said and crossed her hands in front of her chest ready to strike. "But game face or no, you sure as hell look like a vampire to me. Giles get the girl," she ordered and Giles made a quick move for the girl.

"I'm afraid I can't allow that," a smooth and sophisticated voice said from behind them and they felt two men grab them from behind before they could even make their move. The two men wearing tailored black suits held them firmly in place as they were forcefully turned around to face the owner of the voice. Both the vampire and his female companion walked out of the alley, the woman sparing Buffy an apologetic smile.

"And you are?" Giles asked almost casually as both him and Buffy baited their time and didn't struggle against the uncannily strong men holding them in place, but Buffy frowned and wondered why her senses weren't going off like mad, because everything in her experience was telling her these guys were vampires.

"You may call me Alfeo and that was one of my Undying, Slayer, and it is not yours to judge him," the man answered, adjusting his cufflinks and smoothing down his tailored blue suit.

"Well Alfie, you better tell your men in black here, to let me go or I'll…" Buffy protested and tried to extend her sense, trying to get a beat on the goons and this Alfeo guy then her eyes went wide as saucers. "You're not a vampire," she stated and then in frustration she tensed up gathering her strength and shrugged her handler off sending him falling backwards and as she was about yank the goon of Giles, the man known as Alfeo held up his hand.

"Enough," he shouted and motioned for his men to stand down and then grunted and nodded, moving into position behind him. "And I am no vampire, that is true," Alfeo answered Buffy's statement.

"But you just said he was one of yours… an Undying or some-such," Buffy stated sizing up the sharp dressed man who was looking at her with a bit of an amused smile on his face, grinning just enough to flash her a pair of pearly white fangs.

"That I am," he answered. "Perhaps your watcher can explain," he said and motioned to Giles who was

"Giles what's this guy talking about?" Buffy asked looking at her watcher for answers like she always did when it came to things that went bump in the night.

"Well not sure how much I can tell," Giles started as he racked his brain for the information. "But the undying ones according to what books I have at my disposal are an offshoot of the human race. Think of them as sort of a human vampire created before the fall of man, but without the demon possessing them," Giles explained.

"So human-ish vampires, no taking over the world and make us all Happy Meals on legs kind of vampires?" Buffy asked with a raised eyebrow as she sized up Alfeo and then glanced over at his bodyguards.

"In essence yes, immortal but not possessed by a demon, souled but still born with the need for blood," Giles replied, but still kept his blade ready and Buffy smoothly scooped up her stake.

"And our rules forbid the killing of humans," Alfeo explained and making a gesture of peace with his hands, holding his palms towards the Slayer and her Watcher as they both gave him a very skeptical look.

"Not buying that line just yet, but it explains why I couldn't sense the guy who was sucking on that girl or any of you for that matter," Buffy stated looking the man over. Lean, tall and somehow he seemed to not worry that both of them were armed.

"Anyway. Crisis averted, lesson given and I've got somewhere to be, so that concludes our business, "Alfeo stated making a gesture with his hand that they could walk away,

"Buffy we really should be going," Giles urged her suspecting that the three of these undying that stood before them weren't the only ones around, but Alfeo's eyes lit up at hearing Buffy's name.

"Buffy? Now is that a nickname or is it your true name?" he asked as he looked Buffy over, his eyes locked on hers and Buffy could feel a slight pressure at the back of her head.

"What do you mean, my true name?" Buffy asked suspiciously as she moved closer to Giles, not liking where this was going at all.

"It is Elisabeth, is it not?" Alfeo asked and smiled at her, as she held her stake up in front of her and Giles point his sword at him.

"How did you…?" Buffy asked threateningly and glanced at Giles who just nodded that he was with her no matter what.

"You search for a magic user named Willow Rosenberg," Alfeo went on, not flinching at the sight of the stake or the sword. His calm and assured nature was starting to get on Buffy's nerves a bit.

"Yes, you know where she is?" Giles asked and forced Buffy to lower her stake, sensing somehow that this man or whatever he was meant them no immediate harm.

"I know of every child of the night or magic that passes through here. It is my job to know," Alfeo answered with smile before Buffy could ask if she too was known he cut in.

"Yes before you ask; I knew you were here as soon as you arrived," he replied and she could have sworn he was not just teasing her. Did everybody know more than she did now?

Buffy gave an almighty sigh and put her stake back into her jacket. "Do you know where she is or not?" she asked, her voice hopeful but also sounding very tired of it all. She just wanted to find Willow before this trip messed with her head and worldview even further.

"I can show you that she's safe, but nothing more, you are not to approach her," Alfeo replied and adjusted his tie before glancing at his watch.

"Why?" Buffy asked with a frown on her pretty face, having gotten this close to finding Willow only to have some guy in a suit tell her that she couldn't talk to her

"From what I've been able to discern she does not want to be found by you, but I think it's my best interest that I put your mind at ease at least," Alfeo stated bluntly and his tone left no room for argument even though Buffy was willing to try as he checked his watch yet again.

"That's ridiculous!" Buffy exclaimed and almost stomped her feet wondering if good old fashion staking worked on these guys. "We're her friends!"

"Well my offer stands," Alfeo nodded calmly.

"We accept," Giles replied putting his hand in front of Buffy as she stepped forward to protest. "Giles…" Buffy hissed glaring at her watcher.

"At least this way we know she's alright," Giles whispered and Alfeo was already walking out of the alley towards a black car that waited across the street

"Coming?" he asked over his shoulder as the driver opened the door for him.

"It's up to you," Giles said in soft voice and Buffy looked at Giles, then at Alfeo stepping into the car and back at Giles

"Hey wait up," she shouted as she jogged after the undying. At least she could see if Willow was okay now and for some reason that made her feel happier then she'd felt in a long time.

Giles nodded to the two body guards who just nodded back, sheathed his sword and followed Buffy into the car.

Willow was back at the club again, she was looking for the blonde girl from last night, but to tell the truth any blonde girl would do. She was wearing her white corset tonight, tight blue jeans on this time. She flitted between girls and was all impish smiles. Sure that she could do whatever she wanted and nobody was around to see or to judge. Or so she thought.

Buffy stood with her hands behind her back in the club's office watching a row of monitors showing everything going on in the establishment. No sign of Willow yet and she was getting cagey. She didn't like this club, she didn't like Alfeo and his undying whatever goons and she really hated how Giles was being civil at a time like this.

"I don't see her?" Buffy stated, her eyes scanning the screens, left to right, up and down over and over and over again. She glanced at Giles and Alfeo where they sat and did their whole Old World civility bit.

"She'll be here, wait and watch," Alfeo said patiently as he poured tea into Giles' cup as Buffy just huffed a silent yeah right and looked back at the screen, her eyes darting back and forth.

"Could you tell me more about the undying ones?" Giles asked Alfeo as he sipped his tea, sizing up the man judging that he was the man in charge here at least, but not the top of the food chain.

"It's all dreadfully simple I'm afraid," Alfeo stated while looking over some paperwork and checking his computer at the same time. "There are several clans of us, each city or large area if it's rural has a Prince who makes sure that everyone more or less gets along and that no one breaks the rules," he explained as he accepted a glass from one of the club waitresses who had clearance to be there.

"Who is the Prince here and what are the rules?" Buffy asked having moved from the screens to a large window that was in fact a two way mirror facing out into the club, trusting her eyes better than the security cameras.

"You are not at liberty to know that just yet Miss Summers," Alfeo answer as the waitress brought Buffy a soft drink and gave her a little smile that the Slayer ignored completely, sipping it while constantly scanning the shifting crowds of young witches and warlocks, along with the Undying which she was trying to learn how to spot.

"Oh!" Buffy replied and didn't move her eyes away from the scene in front of her as Giles sipped his tea and took copious mental notes.

"So you're what, the right hand man of this city's prince?" Giles asked and put his cup down, trying to get the measure of the man.

"Yes. When I heard the Slayer had come to the city, my first duty was of course to seek her out," Alfeo replied. "The plan was to contact you right away, but your actions on arrival made us worried that approaching you would lead to too much collateral damage," he explain and glanced over to Buffy that just grunted a reply.

"And why would you want to approach Buffy on arrival?" Giles asked, his eyes hardening a bit, not liking somebody tracking his Slayer.

"Oh nothing along the lines of what you are thinking mister Giles. Simply put, there are rules in this city and I have to be sure that your Slayer understands them. There are quite a few, but the basic ones are. First: Undying ones never kill humans. Second: Humans must never find out about us or any other beings of similar nature. Third: There shall be no killing of Undying or any beings under our rule unless we approve them first." Alfeo explained.

"So you want me to careful?" Buffy asked only half paying attention and her blue eyes spotting a flash of red only to see it wasn't Willow.

"Honestly I would prefer you as far away from here as possible. You almost made a very serious mistake tonight and I will not have you killing my kind in a misguided effort, is that understood?" Alfeo stated firmly half standing up from his desk with his hands resting on it.

"And if I do?" Buffy asked with a raised eyebrow and a try-me-on-please look on her face, never turning away from the window but her reflection spoke volumes.

"If you do, I will be forced to take action," Alfeo replied calmly. "And while we have no desire to fight you we can make sure you never step foot in this city again," he explained with a wave of his hand.

"But what about the demons and your well let's call them your cousins?" Giles asked hoping to calm both sides down by giving them acommon enemy to fight at least instead of each other.

"Those you can kill if there is reason too, I assume you can tell us apart by now," Alfeo said with a flourish of his hand. "Given of course they haven't been granted sanctuary by me," he added.

"How generous of you…" the comment died on Buffy's lips as she saw Willow.

"What, what is it?" Giles said and quickly got up and joined her at the glass.

"Willow," Buffy murmured softly as the redhead came into view again, her hair flowing free and her tight corset showing off her full breasts and Buffy stared at her friend wiggling her hips in tight blue jeans.

"So you see why she doesn't wish to see you?" Alfeo asked as he stepped next to the staring pair. "She is not your little friend here, not your librarian's assistant, when she is here, she is something different entirely," he stated but sounding almost sympathetic to Buffy's plight.

"But…"Buffy said as she watched Willow spin around the dance floor between partners of both genders, but mostly girls, blonde girls with blue eyes and slender builds.

"She's free here," Alfeo went on turning away from the window checking his watch yet again and then signing something that a black suited man brought him, never seemingly stopping his work.

"Why didn't she tell us?" Buffy whispered putting on her hand on the glass, watching Willow dance. Willow didn't dance like that, not her Willow and not with other girls.

"That I can not answer," Alfeo said simply and sat down, keeping one eye on the Slayer and her Watcher as he read a message of the computer screen on his desk.

"I have to go to her," Buffy stated and made for the door, but in a blink of an eye Alfeo stood in front of her, blocking her way. Moving in a blur with such speed that Giles could only stare and Buffy even managed to look impressed.

"I can't allow that. Imagine for one second what would happen if you would storm out there and demand an explanation?" he asked calmly crossing his arms over his chest as two suit clad men stepped into the room from behind him.

"I…" Buffy started, but the answer died on her lips as she frowned and raised her hand as if to punch Alfeo, but then lowered it.

"You don't know do you? Mr. Giles help me out here," Alfeo said tearing Giles gaze away from the window the Watcher also shocked at the forwardness displayed by Willow out on the club's floor.

"I'm afraid he's right Buffy. Willow will in most likelihood turn and run, and that in turn would only make things worse. Or worse yet we'll have another as you called it bad-ass magical display," Giles said calmly as much as he would like to see Buffy reunited with Willow he knew well enough that Willow would just feel cornered if Buffy ran out there now.

"But she's my friend and I mean… this isn't how she acts," Buffy said as she stepped back to the glass and watched her friend. "There has to be something wrong and I want to know what it is," she whispered.

"There is nothing wrong Elisabeth," Alfeo stated and smiled as he read his marching orders of the screen. "She just grew up and you missed it. When the time comes I'm sure she'll share all with you, but until then…" he trailed off.

"I'm not leaving the city if that's what you are hoping for," Buffy angrily bit back and leaned against the window, her fists pressing against and the glass trembled for a moment before she could reign her feelings back in.

"Forcefully removing you would not be… worth our time, which brings us to a proposal my superiors want me to give to you," Alfeo explained and Buffy could hear him printing something out.

"And that is?" Buffy asked only half interested in the conversation again as Willow danced out of view, some petite blonde girl clinging to her.

"Please have a seat both of you," Alfeo said and motioned to the chairs. With a slightly worred look both Buffy and Giles took the offered seats and waited for him to make his proposal.

"Now the job of prince or mine for that matter is not an easy one, there is always someone trying to kill you, ruin things for you and so on," Alfeo explained.

"Your point is?" Buffy asked.

"There will be an attempt on my life and perhaps on the Prince's sometime in the near future, we estimate within the next two or three months. Now I want to hire you two and even those who came with you here to make sure that any attempt to do so fails," Alfeo explained and handed over two pieces of paper.

"Why?" Giles asked adjusting his glasses and reading the documents over as Buffy stared at Alfeo with a surprised look on her face.

"We know the attack or attacks will be made by our demonic cousins as Mr. Giles so eloquently put it and that is not something that we will tolerate," Alfeo explained. "And as you are the experts in dealing with them- Well, who else could we approach?" He added with a grin.

"And why should we take this offer?" Buffy asked with a raised eyebrow, rather skeptic about this whole thing and not really liking the idea of working for vampires, souled ones or not.

"Because if you do not accept our offer there is a very good chance that they shall overthrow our rule and this city will become like Sunnydale," Alfeo said plainly and he now had their attention so he drove him his point.

"You see the reason for the massive chaos surrounding the Hellmouth is caused by two reasons. First, of course, is the gateway which little can be done about. The second is because there is no prince to keep order such as it should be. So in light of this will you help me? Help me avoid undue suffering an all out war would bring?" he asked leaning forward across his desk and clasping his hands in front of him.

"How much?" Buffy asked after moments thought, glancing between Alfeo and the window behind her

"Buffy," Giles whispered in a shocked voice his eyes going wide

"Giles what if he's right? We can't risk that," Buffy answered him and gave him her best version of Willow's resolve face to try to drive the point home.

"What about the Hellmouth?" Giles asked trying to reason with her, being here to find Willow and get her home was one thing, but actually taking up a job offer was pushing this a bit too far.

"Giles its summer and we're only a day away. Plus, being paid for slaying can't be that bad. I mean think of college for one moment. Education isn't free, you know," Buffy argued with a little grin. "And you were giving me that everybody grows up speech for a reason right?" she added her grin blossoming into a full blown smile.

"What else is involved?" Giles asked paging through the document that was mostly just them swearing not to disclose anything they'd overhear while doing their work.

"For the time being you would shadow me, like my friends by the door do. We will take care of your accommodations, of course, but other than keeping your eyes open and following me around, not much else will be required for the time being," Alfeo answered with a knowing smile on his face. "And of course you could keep up any slaying you would deem required, with our approval," he added.

"For two to three months?" Buffy asked, giving the offer some serious thought now, glancing at the window again but Willow was out of sight again, probably pushing that blonde girl against a wall somewhere a surpassingly jealous voice whispered in her mind.

"Or until the threat has been neutralized and you will be paid handsomely as per the contracts," Alfeo stated, leaning back in his chair, tapping his index fingers together underneath his chin.

"What about our expenses? Clothing, weapons and such?" Giles asked, realizing that this little sabbatical wouldn't come free after all.

"All will be taken care off along with your expenses," Alfeo answered checking his watch again and then the monitors.

"Just how handsomely are we talking about here?" Buffy asked and Giles leaned over showing her the number written on the contracts under salary and the Slayer's mouth fell open slightly.

"Well since we are going to be in town for a while…" Giles started trying to rationalize this to himself. "…and waiting for Willow to come to her senses," Buffy added with a sour face, but she couldn't fight back a grin that for once something at least seemed to working out in their favor not to mention the pay.

"Then do we have a deal?" Alfeo asked with a salesman like smile fangs and all on his face.

"What do you think Giles," Buffy asked, but Giles just shrugged.

"It's up to you Buffy, you brought us all here in a manner of speaking," he replied and gave her his I-trust-you-to-do-the-right-thing-Buffy look.

"We accept," she said and offered Alfeo her hand and made sure she squeezed it extra hard just to make sure that if they had any ideas of double crossing them she was capable of ribbing him apart.

"Excellent. Now, of course we're willing to extend this offer to the rest of your group. Just be ready at noon tomorrow as some of my people will be around to get you up to speed and get you outfitted," Alfeo said. "Is there anything you need brought in from Sunnydale?" he asked.

"You knew we were going to say yes?" Buffy asked, but it was more of a statement, sensing that Alfeo or maybe his superior this prince guy had this all figured out from the start.

"It's my job to know these things," Alfeo said like it would explain everything. Buffy just nodded, not really in the mood for more verbal sparring.

Giles took over talking logistics and Buffy drifted back to the window as her watcher and her new employer hammered out the details of their deal.

Willow what are you doing, she thought to herself, as she watched Willow flirting shamelessly with another girl. This isn't the Willow I know, or maybe she is. Have I been blind? What's she done with her hair? Buffy thought then lost track of time watching her friend and it wasn't until Giles spoke up from behind her that she realized how much time had passed.

"Buffy are you ready to leave?" Giles question snapped Buffy out of her thoughts and she noticed it was just the two of them in the office now, Alfeo having excused himself earlier and his two guards stood by the door keeping an eye on the pair. "Uh?" she asked seeming almost dazed.

"Ready to go?" Giles asked again looking concerned at how deep in thought she was.

"No you go ahead and explain everything to the guys at the hotel. I think I'll just stay here and watch for a bit," Buffy answered with a shrug Giles studied his Slayer for a moment before speaking up again.

"If that's what you want to do," he stated in an even voice, giving her a chance to reconsider. When she didn't, he gave her a quick hug. "Take care and I'll see you at the hotel," Giles said softly and left, leaving Buffy alone in the dimly lit office watching Willow chat up some blond witch, that she already had a great dislike for, pressing her hand against the glass all she could do was sigh and watch.

Giles stepped out into the night, adjusted the collar of his coat and rubbed his hands together to ward of the slight chill that had crept in from the sea. The offer was a good one and perhaps this would solve several problems in one stroke. Give Buffy the means to stay close to her friend, give him a more time to try to figure out his role in the events going on around him and as Buffy said, education didn't come cheap.

Thinking about his Slayer, almost thinking daughter, he gave a small smile. She was confused, but he hoped she would come around sooner or later. He started walking towards the hotel having declined the car offered by Alfeo having had his fill of vampires and other assorted beings of the night for now.

He was enjoying his stroll until he found his way blocked by three leather glad young men and he looked up at three demonic vampires grinning cocksure back at him, taking of his glasses and tilting his head at them as if to say is that all you got Giles gave the vampires a disgusted look.

"I don't have time for this," he told them while reaching into his coat as if to put his glasses away but also grasping the hilt of his sword tightly in his hand.

"Well if it isn't the Slayer's pet Watcher," the larger of the vampires commented, obviously a Sunnydale survivor and as it turned out those were the last words it would utter as a black streak swept through its neck. It's head with a stunned look on its face flew of its shoulders soaring few feet in the air before disintegrating into dust and then the body grumbled to the ground in front of Giles his blade catching the moonlight as he looked at the remaining vampires.

"Like I said, I don't have time for this," he said as he swung for the next one causing the remaining pair to split up and try to circle around him as he pointed his sword down and then as the first vampire lunged for him he simply ran it through, split its stomach open and then kicked it smoothly off the sword leaving it trying to hold in its guts.

With his coat flapping behind him as he spun around and good old fashioned head-butted the vampire still standing causing it fall back and then with another flash it's head rolled on the ground before it exploded into dust.

Spinning towards the one trying to crawl away while holding onto its innards, undead or not, it's hard to move while trying to contain several yards of small intestine. Advancing on the last vampire he pointed the tip of the sword at its forehead as it tried to plead its case.

"Look we were just messing with you man… I mean it's not like we would ever cross the … oh come on… not like this…not by a bloody watcher," the vampire tried to plead but in the end it just saw the blade come swinging down for its neck and its head rolled away.

Giles stepped through the dust cloud before it even settled his face more annoyed than anything else as the obsidian blade disappeared into his coat and he pulled out his glasses again.

Willow woke up in a bed that was not her own, feeling a slender arm trapped over her and she let out a groan. "Stupid, stupid Willow," she muttered while she gently lifted the blonde girl's arm up of her and slipped out of the bed.

She glanced at the girl sleeping and all she could see was blonde hair obscuring the girl's face. She gathered up her clothes and the night's memories were hazy at best but she guessed she'd called the girl Buffy at least once. Actually she was sure of it.

Now she felt tired and unclean. Still, it had been her choice to do this then why on earth was it making her feel like she'd just done something that would dishonor Buffy? Buffy was her friend, she'd understand, right?

Stumbling through her window she turned on the light and didn't even jump when she found her mentor Lily patiently waiting for her to come back to the house.

"What do you want now?" she asked while stripping herself off her clothes, not really caring who saw right now.

"You did it, didn't you?" Lily asked bluntly her voice not quite as soft as it was usually as Willow crawled into bed pulling her sheets up over her head

"Yes I had sex," Willow stated in a muffled voice from underneath the sheets, not really wanting to face anybody right now.

"I see. Why did you do it Willow?" Lily asked moving and pulling the sheet from Willow's head, the young witch's shoulders covered in pink scratch marks and her lips were chaffed and raw.

"That's a weird question," Willow snorted back, squirming a bit as she knew she didn't look her best right now. In fact, she looked like a total floosy right now and it didn't make her feel too great about herself.

"You know very well what I mean," Lily scowled at her and then hung her head. "Your friend Elisabeth came to my store today," she told Willow and her face fell a little. "She was so worried and the way she talked about you was so heart wrenching that I almost told her were to find you," she said to Willow who was holding her hands over her mouth in shock at what she'd just done. "So I ask you again young one: Why did you do it?" Lily asked firmly her eyes fixed on Willow's shocked face.

Willow was silent and then she lowered her hands from her mouth slowly, speaking in barely a whisper and the guilt was so thick in her voice that Lily had to steel herself not to hug the girl as the façade the red haired witch had built up faded away.

"Because I wanted to feel what it would be like, because if I closed my eyes I could imagine it was Buffy, because…because I wanted it to be Buffy so much," Willow admitted as she hung her head and when she looked up Lily was gone. You had to give the woman credit, she knew how to get you to confess things to yourself. Even if the things you admitted were not the things you wanted to hear.

**To be continued... Next week on Royalty... Buffy gets a new outfit and starts her new job... We learn a bit more about Alfeo and his kin... Willow shows up and things start to sparkle...  
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	6. Chapter 5: The Trench coat Brigade

_The Author speaks: Due to my birthday celebrations this weekend I'm posting this chapter a bit earlier then planned. Now I promise that this chapter will have some Buffy and Willow in it at long last. Older readers who remember the original story will start to see some bigger changes now in terms of story progression. Don't worry not changing the Buffy and Willow bits or the main plot of the other stories just pacing it a bit different. So enjoy!  
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**Chapter 5: The Trench coat Brigade**

It was noon the next day when Alfeo much to Buffy's surprise arrived in person at their hotel suite accompanied by his usual two companions in the now familiar black suits carrying two suitcases and a woman carrying what looked like a clothing bag and sewing kit.

"Shouldn't you be bursting into flames?" Buffy asked with a surprised look on her face as she answered the door at their hotel suite. Inside the blinds had been drawn so that Spike could be there, while Anya and Xander had both politely declined the offer from the undying Alfeo when Giles had brought it up the other night. Well Anya had declined and then threatened no more sex if Xander even considered accepting, telling him to leave this to the professionals.

"Ah you have quite a bit to learn about us, Miss Summers." Alfeo just smiled at Buffy as the woman with him did that same.

"This the wanker we're supposed to keep alive?" Spike asked, thinking that Alfeo could not hear him and the undying man graced him with a fanged smile

"A wanker with very keen hearing. William the Bloody, I assume?" Alfeo greeted him extending his hand.

"Not the last time I checked," Spike replied as he had no choice but to shake the man's hand. "Like the Slayer asked, how come you lot don't bursting into flames and where can I learn that trick?" the vampire asked with a gleam in his eye.

"Trade secret," Alfeo replied with a smile as his bodyguards put the suitcases on a table and opened them up with a click. "Now we brought you some items to help make your job go smoother," he explained as Giles, Spike and Buffy all looked into the suitcases and Spike gave a whistle. "Very nice," he muttered.

"Isn't it just," Alfeo replied and held up a black metal cylinder about five inches long with a small red button on it. "This is what we use when we have a problem with our demonic cousins," he explained and pressed the button and a polished stake made of dark mahogany popped out. "Portable and stylish," he explained as Buffy picked it up and rolled it over her hands. "Light too, very Star Wars as Xander would say," she commented and made a few stabbing motions to test it and out of habit Spike backed away causing her to give him a teasing smile.

"Now these are not to be carried around in daylight or in public, but they are good for removing larger problems," Alfeo explained and pulled out a black sheath in the same style as the high-tech stake. Pulling out a short sword in the style a roman gladius he handed it to Buffy. "Light weight, small in case you need to conceal it, laser sharpened so it will cut through even the peskiest of demons," he explain and Buffy with a kid at Christmas like grin tested the edge.

"I must have been a very good girl this year," she commented and then glanced at Alfeo with a smirk. "So can I call you Q now or how does Santa Alfie sound?" She joked, causing her employer to raise his eyebrow. "I got to start hanging out with people under the age two hundred or more," she sighed causing Giles to give an offended ahem and her to pat him on the back in response.

"Moving on," Alfeo said and pulled out what look very much like nine millimeter handgun causing Buffy and Giles to raise their eyebrows.

"Ermm Alfie… I may have fired of a rocket launcher once, but…" Buffy stated as Alfeo checked the safety on the gun and handed it over to her.

"Now this is something our friends in the arms industry came up with," he explained not missing a beat and Buffy uncomfortably held the gun almost in disgust.

"For all intended purposes it is a glorified gas gun, tiny charges fire of small balls of holy water, also it's more of a required prop for your role as my bodyguard," he explain and Buffy put the gun down.

"Any more toys for me?" she asked with a smile, clearly not a fan of the whole gun idea. The other stuff was pretty cool, though. Picking up what looked like a maze can Alfeo smiled at her.

"Well we've been preparing for our 'cousins' to cause problems for quite a while and they have caused some in the past," he explained and held up the maze can.

"Garlic compound," he explained and pointed it at Spike who wisely dodged causing the Undying to chuckle and in an odd display of showmanship he sprayed some into his mouth. "Great for when you run out while making Italian," he joked and Buffy couldn't help but to chuckle.

"Lastly, compound crossbows," he said and held up two small pistol sized crossbows. "Each loaded with three bolts each, so use them sparingly," he explained and handed them to Giles for study. "

"Right. That is it for weaponry gifts. You'll find more mundane items in here like mobile phones, don't over use them, your first salary payment oh and my assistant Jillian June will be measuring and fitting you today," he explained pointing out the other items in the case as Giles picked up a brown envelope marked with his name and his eyes bulged at the amount inside it.

"Wow…" Buffy muttered, counting out her payment. More then she'd ever seen in her life, that was for sure. "Hey what you mean fit me?" she asked and the red headed woman that had accompanied Alfeo and his men kindly smiled at her, holding up a clothing bag. Buffy could see a needle kit as well, glancing over at the men in black as she had 'affectionately' started calling them and noticing they were both grinning she gulped before being led to the bedroom by the woman.

"I'm not going to wear that!" rang through the hotel suite a few moments later as Buffy watched the woman hang up for the lack of a better word a black suit, an overcoat, a large collared white blouse and what looked like way too sensible black shoes for her tasted.

"Come now dear," the woman said in her Irish accented voice and patted Buffy's shoulder. "Give it try," she said in a soft voice as she pulled out a low stool for her to stand on.

"Are there any other surprises in the dress code?" Buffy asked with a frown as she stepped up onto the stool while the woman walked around her taking measurements and every so often checking on the suite and coat Buffy did not like where this was going one bit.

Buffy then looked at Jillian, she was not old as in old, but still old. Respectable old, the kind of old that demanded respect, or something like that. She kept taking measurements and then checking on the suit or the coat. "Don't worry dear we'll be done here soon enough," she said as Buffy stood there trying her best not to look bored out of her mind.

"I'm sorry Jillian, just didn't think I'd be getting measured for a suit today or anytime in my life for that matter," Buffy replied and gave the suit an evil eye. Sure, the money was great but a suit was a bit too much.

"Please call me June everybody does?" June asked Buffy as she adjusted the buttons on the suit. "Now who is this lucky fellow that you come here for or maybe he's not so unlucky," she asked with a grin on her face.

"Sure thing June," Buffy smiled at the woman and then bit back a dumb sounding uh. "What you mean by lucky or unlucky?" Buffy asked a little confused by June's question.

"Well... From what I understand you came here looking for someone. Now that somebody is either very important to you or has done something that warrants some serious bodily harm," June replied with a broad smile as she walked back over to Buffy.

"Oho no there isn't… I mean was… I mean there is no boy…" Buffy stuttered a bit as June measured her up some more.

"Oho a girl then," June said as she took Buffy's wrist. "Lift!" she order and Buffy raised her arms above her head. Buffy gave the woman a shocked look before trying to stutter something in response.

"Don't be so shocked dear, I've been around for awhile you know," the older woman said as she measured the length of her arm. "There! Alldone. You can sit down while I do this part," she said and walked over to the suit making a few minor adjustments.

"And I'll tell you this much. Alfeo sure knows how to guess girls size," she laughed as Buffy's eyes scanned the woman, her ears twitching and she also sniffed as subtly as she could, using all her sense instead of just relying on her gut feeling.

"You're not undying are you?" Buffy asked while watching the woman work as she was still trying to pinpoint the undying ones with her senses.

She'd seen that they were fast, very fast judging by how Alfeo moved last night. The goons hadn't been that strong that she couldn't shrug them off, but it had taken more effort than with a run of the mill vampire.

"No. Afraid I'm just plain old human," June said with a smile and all Buffy could do was nod and then look very unsure as she was handed the black suit and the white blouse that went with it. "Now go change while I make some alterations to your coat," June told her and all she could do was nod.

Standing in front of the mirror in the bedrooms impressively large closet she adjusted her blouse around her chest and frowned a bit. Buttoning it up almost to the top leaving the last two buttons undone she smoothed down the black pants and frowned some more.

"Oh mom if you could see me now," she said to her reflection and pulled the fitted jacket on, noticing four added pockets on the inside.

"Well can't say it is not custom slaying fitted," she grinned and sized herself up in the mirror pulling at the lapels of the jacket and fixing the blouse's large collar, checking out her butt and trying to adjust the blouse a bit more so it didn't show too much skin.

"The coat is done," she heard June call out so steeling herself she stepped out into the room again and the woman smiled at her. "Not what I'd usually put a girl your age in, but it does look professional on you," she said and handed her the coat with a sympathetic smile.

"Thanks… I guess," Buffy replied and couldn't help but to smile back at the woman, she had that fairy godmother or the aunt that gives you the good gifts at Christmas look about her somehow and it put Buffy at ease.

"Just got to face the peanut gallery now I guess," she said and June watched as the blonde girl tried on the coat, it was black like the suit, but thicker material and it was taken in at the waist to give her a nice figure.

"Good luck out there and with your girl," June told her. Buffy could only nod back with a smile but then said: "Her name is Willow."

She stepped back into the living area of the suite where Spike, Giles, Alfeo and his two best friends were waiting. She looked straight at Spike before he could even get a word in.

"Don't you laugh," she threatened the vampire as she scooped up two of the stakes Alfeo had brought for them and slipped it into her coat.

"I'm not laughing, the Dana Scully look really suits you," the vampire replied with a huge grin on his face causing Buffy to half pull one of the swords out of its sheath.

"Now children don't fight," Giles quipped in his best fatherly voice only to be glared at by Buffy. Her face softened when she saw the proud look on her watcher's face.

"Sorry," both Slayer and vampire apologized a bit sheepishly as Alfeo cleared his throat and put his hands behind his back.

"Let's get back to business then shall we?" he asked and Buffy took a seat next to Spike. "Now William here would be most suited for night duty for obvious reasons," he said and Spike threw him a glare for using the William name. He then looked at Buffy.

"Now Elisabeth. I would like you to accompany me this afternoon take the day shift sort to speak," he told the Slayer who also glared at him but he seemed not to be phased by either of them.

"You want to go out during the day?" Buffy asked a little bit surprised, having guessed that he probably came in through some sort of underground access into the hotel

"I'm not a vampire. I'm undying, not reanimated and demon possessed flesh like William here," Alfeo explained and then threw an apologetic look at Spike. "No offense meant of course."

"None taken mate," Spike saluted back at him.

"So in the simplest terms sunlight is not a major problem given that I've fed," Alfeo explained and Buffy doing her watcher proud was taking mental notes, the more she knew the better she felt. These guys, for all their talk of not killing humans and having souls, were still vampires in her book and her little summer job aside she was still a Vampire Slayer.

"So where are we going?" Buffy asked and stood up her coat flowing around her and when she looked up at the tall Alfeo she mentally cursed the sensible shoes that went with her new job.

"Just some meetings, nothing important and no one will question your presence at them," Alfeo said and turned to Giles. "Now I believe you will want to read over the rules and history of the undying Mr. Giles?" he asked and motioned to his guard who produced a leather-bound tome and Giles perhaps a bit too eagerly nodded almost drooling at the prospect.

"Miss Summers. If you'd accompany me to the car outside?" he asked with a formal bow and offered her his arm as Buffy looked at Spike picking up his novel again and Giles trying not to act like a five year old at Christmas. "Sure, let's leave the boys to the literature," she joked taking the offered arm.

Once downstairs and in the back of the limo Alfeo handed her case containing what Buffy knew to be very expensive shades and also a small ring box.

"Oh more presents or is this where I find out that I've been sold as a vampire bride?" she joked as she opened the ring box and it revealed a simple silver ring with six red stones set in a pattern.

"This ring indicates that you serve me and in turn the prince. It will give you access to places a human couldn't normally enter in this city," Alfeo explained as Buffy slipped the ring on and then checked out her new shades.

"So I just wear these and look grim?" Buffy said and slipped on the sunglasses and then lifted them up inspected the signet ring she'd been given.

"That's pretty much it," Alfeo said as they rode into town. "I've got a meeting at two o'clock and then another at four, nothing major just some business deals regarding our holdings," he explained the schedule as Buffy looked out the back and she could see Man in Black One and Man in Black Two following them in a different car.

"Were you born?" Buffy asked after she felt the silence had dragged on too long with the constant sound of Alfeo turning the pages of his many reports and she was getting bored of watching buildings go by or checking up on the goon squad behind them.

"Yes, some undying ones are born. It is rare, but it happens," Alfeo answered but never taking his eyes from the seemingly endless reports he kept reading.

"But you also turn people, right?" Buffy asked taking of her sunglasses so she could look Alfeo straight in the eyes.

"Yes, but every turning as you call it must be approved by the prince. It is really a rather tedious process to get someone is embraced," he explained and sipped that amber liquid he always seemed to keep at hand.

"And they don't become a different person?" she asked. "Like go on a rampage, torture your friends and kill your family?" she asked and Alfeo could hear that she had not had a good experience in that regard in her recent past.

"No. The personality remains the same," he answered and clicked his pen and checked of a few items on the report.

"I guess I can live with that," Buffy said as they entered the city's business district adding a silent for now in her mind. "Will I ever get to meet this Prince of yours?" she asked and fiddled with the large collar on her blouse.

"Perhaps if you and I work well together," Alfeo answered and turned to the next page of his report.

"Can I at least know his name or should I just start calling him Big Boss Man?" Buffy asked with a big grin which caused Alfeo to look up at her and almost sigh in a why me sort of way.

"His name is Daniel, now read this," he said and handed her a report. "It details whom we are meeting with, what they do and how they might be trying to screw us over," he explained with a grin and Buffy sighed. So much for getting out of researching this summer. After that, the day passed in a flurry of meetings, business over a late lunch and gatherings and Buffy had almost managed to get Willow out of her head.

Later that day Buffy found herself in the club's office, sprawled out on a couch. Her coat was thrown over a nearby chair and a truly impressive pile of empty Chinese take-out boxes were strewn across the table in front of her. "God why can't the sun go down faster," she said, glancing over at Alfeo still busily working at this desk. Who would have thought that standing behind a man for six hours looking bad-ass could be so exhausting?

"The sun will be fully set in twenty four minutes," Alfeo replied and she could hear him picking away at his keyboard.

"June… is it like this all the time?" Buffy asked the woman as she stepped into the office and started cleaning up Mt. Boxes in front of the Slayer. "Most of the time and be grateful for it, quiet is good around here," June explained. "And sit up straight or you'll ruin your back," she added and Buffy obeyed almost right away.

Then as an answer to her prayers her replacement arrived accompanied by Alfeo's ever present bodyguards of Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee.

Buffy had wondered why, since he had those two, he needed her, Giles and Spike on the payroll. She was starting to suspect that Alfeo had orders from this Daniel guy aka Big Boss Man to keep a close eye on them and what better way than to hire them.

"You look silly," she giggled seeing Spike dressed up in the same monkey suit as the other two guards and he fiddled uncomfortably with his tie.

"Shut up Slayer and get out of here already," he ordered her looking like he was ready to rip the suit off at any moment. "Come now William... it is just part of the job," she couldn't help but to tease him and he growled at her.

"Anything else you need me for Alfie?" she asked Alfeo who just looked up at her with that weary expression she so often saw on Giles. "No. You may go now Miss Summers, but I would appreciate if you swung by a few locations first." he said, handing her a printed out list of places. "We have been had reports of a small influx of our demonic cousins in these areas," he told her as she just took thee piece of paper and jokingly saluted him.

"Great. Beats waiting in a graveyard, I guess," she said and turned to leave, but not before poking her tongue out at Spike who sat down on the couch were she'd been sitting. "So Alfeo mate, how was your day?" he asked the undying with a grin. All he got in return was a very loud and pained groan and Spike just nodded his head thinking that the bloody Slayer can get to anybody given a few hours.

Buffy stalked the street with her coat flapping behind her, the new toys were working well and after a few trial and errors she even manage to turn the coat into a make-shift weapon doing spinning kicks so that the tails swatted the vampires in the face. But after two hours and after dusting yet another mortally challenged person she gave thought to just going back to the hotel.

There sure were a lot of them around for this time of year though and she'd thought Alfeo and his people had the city under control. Buffy was so deep into her thoughts that she didn't noticed that she'd wandered into a warehouse district.

"Great, more soon-to-be-dust straight ahead," she muttered when her senses tingled and she came upon an abandoned warehouse with loud music blaring out through broken windows. "Gee I must have been out of it," she said to herself seeing that she had wandered quite far.

She sneaked in through the side entrance of the warehouse and spotted a few vampires were playing cards and in the corner she saw three girls huddled together. The nighttime snacks no doubt, she pulled out both of her stake-sabers as she'd started calling them, pressing the red buttons and the smooth wooden stakes popped up, then she felt her senses flaring as somebody grabbed her from behind.

"Oh no you don't," she muttered and flipped her attacker over her head so he landed with a thud on his back alerting the others.

"You are a strong one for such a pretty young thing," he commented looking up at her, her coat flapping around her.

"And you're dust," she said made a move to stake the vampire but this one wasn't freshly risen so he knocked her arm away and the roughly kicked her so that she stumbled backwards a few steps.

"I'm afraid that is not my plan tonight," he stated as the vampires Buffy had been spying on started gathering up around her and she kicked into fighting mode. Crossing her stakes in front of her she grinned at her would be attackers.

"Yeah how do you want it? Fast or slow and painful?" she teased them and

"Phu-lease, there are twelve of us and you're just one undying do-gooder," the ugliest of the lot teased her and then dismissed her with a wave of us hand. Buffy's face broke into a grin when she realized they thought she was an undying like Alfeo and his lot.

"Just you wait and see," Buffy grinned at them and launched herself at the group, her coat billowing behind her. She dropkicked Mister tall ugly and talkative into his friends and then followed it up by stabbing two of his cronies in the chest and they watched dumbfounded as their leader fell backwards.

"Right, you were saying?" she asked and pulled the stakes out of the chests of the stunned vampires that crumbled into dust on the floor.

"Get her!" the leader shouted, staggering to his feet and all of a sudden there seemed to be more of them. Buffy glanced over at the three girls huddled in the corner then started taking care of business, a quick uppercut and stake through the heart took out one, a sharp roundhouse kick sent two of them flying smashing into some old furniture with one of them unlucky enough to self-stake itself on

Stopping her spinning, she spotted something, out of the corner of her eye, there was somebody moving along the shadows of the warehouse towards the girls the vampires had taken. "Oh no you don't!" she cursed thinking it was a vampire sneaking in for a snack and started to make a beeline for the girls.

Punching and stabbing her way towards the girls. The vampires deciding that doing this kung fu style one at a time would not get the job done started to pile on her. She felt them land punches and she elbowed one hard in the mouth as it tried to bite her. All she could think was not good, not good over and over again as she tried to break away from the group.

Then all of a sudden the battle stopped and a booming voice could be heard echoing through the warehouse. "Get away from her!" it thundered and Buffy could see that the girls were gone, running out the backdoor and in their place stood a girl, wearing a green hooded coat ,the hood obscuring her face from view.

"Or what?" the leader asked as Buffy felt herself being held down, but not before she manage to stake at least one more vampire. There was a smile under the hood and green eyes could be seen flaring then a small pale hand rose up and made a gesture.

"Something like this," the girl said in a firm and calm voice, little green sparks crackled around her outstretched hand and the leader muttered something along the lines of: "Oh crap," and then felt something slam against his chest. Then the blast hurled him through the wall behind him and he found himself out on the street where he scrambled to his feet and ran.

"Crap!" The cloaked figure muttered and turned her gaze upon the vampires surrounding Buffy and the Slayer in turn found herself staring at the hooded figure that had just saved her hide.

The girl stood tall, maybe three inches taller than she did, the coat which she wore was green with a hood, it came in at the waist with a belt and then flared out around her legs. Put what the Slayer was most focused on were those eyes that seemingly shone from underneath the hood, eyes that reminded her of- Buffy thoughts where cut short when she felt a sharp blow to the back of her head and she crumbled to the floor.

The hooded figure watched as Buffy was knocked to the floor with the vampire in question quickly finding a piece of exquisitely carved wood sticking out off its chest. With that the fight started up again. One vampire trying to rush the girl found itself on the receiving end of a green ball of energy causing it to burn for a few moments before exploding into flaming dust.

Another only felt something sharp pass through its neck, a ribbon of green energy neatly severing its head from its body.

Buffy rubbed the back of her head and struggled to her knees only to see two vampires charge the woman in green and then she just muttered something and swept out her hand and the vampires just burst into flames, screaming and running past her before exploding into dust like their companions.

Buffy tried to get up, but her vision was blurry and she felt warm blood on the back of her head. Grunting, she pulled out a one of the small crossbows Alfeo had provided her with and fired it three times. The three vampires that had been trying to get out the back while the girl in green decimated their friends exploded into dust. With a groan, she lowered the crossbow and slumped to the floor.

Then all was quiet and the moon shone in through the hole the girl in green had punched in the wall using the vampire leader. The girl slowly walked over with dust swirling around her feet towards Buffy and then knelt by her side. She pulled back the hood revealing silver streaked red hair and soft features. The girl ran her palm gently across Buffy's face and the Slayer's eyes fluttered open.

"Willow?" Buffy whispered, trying to focus her eyes on the girl cradling her head and she felt that tingle again, the same tingle she'd felt in her room when Willow had healed up her thumb and there was that feeling again in her stomach.

"Hello Buffy," Willow said a soft voice gently pressing her hand against the back of the blonde girls head and she seemed to focus for a few moments.

"The vamps and.. and the girls. Are they safe?" Buffy asked staring into Willow's green, glowing eyes and then down at what the girl was wearing. She fought the urge to gulp when she noticed it was the same outfit as last night underneath the green coat, a tight white corset and blue jeans.

"Gone. The girls are safe and heading back to their coven," Willow said with a small smile and for a moment there was nothing but the two of them on the floor of the warehouse.

"You kicked ass," Buffy giggled softly as she looked up at Willow who had this strange serene smile on her face.

"I guess I did. Come on, let's get you off this cold and dirty floor," Willow said and then heaved the Buffy off the ground with ease that surprised the smaller girl. "You okay," she asked as she watched Buffy steady herself.

"Fine," Buffy grunted as she felt a few bruises and sore spots then looking at the dust on the ground she saw something. "Don't forget your stake," she muttered as she carefully bent down and picked up the ornate stake, turning it over in her hands.

"It's not magical if that's what you're wondering just pretty," Willow said as she pulled the hood back on and Buffy could hear a bit of a strain in her voice.

Buffy looked at Willow's hooded face not liking it, not seeing her face clearly with the silver locks hanging over it.

"What happened to you Willow?" Buffy asked, trying to keep calm, leaning against the hole that Willow had blown in the wall as she handed her back the stake.

"What do you mean happened to me?" Willow asked back taking her stake back. Buffy could hear some of the calm slipping from her friend's voice as she pushed her own stakes back into their handles.

"All this," Buffy said her voice rising as she swept her hand across the room. "The vampire slaying, the dust all over the floor, the hole in the wall you made, your little trick with launching a stake at a vampire from across the room," she listed up just a few of the more obvious things, the joy of seeing Willow being replaced with all the pent up anger and frustration of not being able to find her for three weeks, not to mention what she'd seen the night before.

"I grew up, I guess," Willow answered bitterly, not explaining how the girls belonged to her coven and had been stupid enough to be taken in by a smooth talking vampire causing Lily to ask her to rescue them.

"You did it awfully fast," Buffy shot back and they were now glaring at each other with Willow stalking up to her and leaning in awfully close for the Slayer's comfort.

"This all began long before I came here, but you were too busy being Super-Buffy to notice," Willow stated bluntly and put her hands on her hips as her green eyes started to pulse with light while Buffy held her ground. "When did it start?" Buffy asked as she felt the hairs on the back of her head rise up as Willow to almost visibly shake with her own pent up anger.

"Don't know for sure. When Oz left, when Angel lost his soul, maybe even sooner," Willow said. Her voice rising and falling with her eyes staring into Buffy's and there was a long drawn out silence.

"But why did you leave Sunnydale, why did you leave us, your parents, why did you leave m…?" Buffy asked finally, but managed to stop herself from saying the last bit what had been on her mind.

"I live in different world now Buffy. My life is more complex, hell I am more complex," Willow burst out and then lowered her voice down to a whisper. "And I thought I would scare you away," she added.

"Willow…" Buffy said and reached out to touch her friend resting her hand on Willow's cheek her thumb rubbing small circles on it

"Don't… Buffy please don't," Willow protested in a strained voice before she flinched away.

"Why are you doing this Willow?" Buffy asked tears welling up in her eyes. "I thought you were my friend, my best friend," she pleaded with Willow, tears now running down her cheeks and she was so focused on Willow that she didn't' feel the wind pick up and the dust started swirling in the warehouse.

"I am and I'll always have been your friend, it's just that…" The ground became very interesting to Willow and she started to clench and unclench her fists.

"What Willow, please tell me…" Buffy said gently stroking Willow's cheek again and this time the witch almost greedily leaned into the touch.

"I don't trust myself around you," Willow whispered and pressed her forehead against Buffy's gently, there was a long silence as Buffy just rubbed Willow's cheek as the words sank in.

"You don't trust yourself around me? Why afraid that I might like you back?" she asked with her voice taking on a teasing tone and when it happened. The wind picked up around them and Willow sighed as she pulled away from her.

"I said don't trust myself around YOU!" Willow started off in a low voice but quickly grew into a roar as she threw up her hands. Clouds gathered in the night sky outside, there was a thunder and then the rain poured down. The wind blew stronger and stronger blowing back Willow's hood and coat revealing wild green eyes flowing red hair. That said, Willow grabbed Buffy's face in her hands and kissed her hard and long.

Buffy couldn't believe her ears that Willow didn't trust herself around her. Willow would never hurt her right. Then there was wind and rain and then Willow, her sweet caring Willow, crushing her lips against her own a green sparks flew all around them, jumping between their bodies and their lips as Buffy could hear the storm raging outside.

She felt Willow's hands slide up and down her back as she struggled to make sense of the feelings pulsing through her, she felt an almost electric jolt shoot through her as Willow broke the kiss, stumbling backwards and almost falling before Buffy caught her.

"I… whenever I'm close to you…" Willow whispered as she collapsed against the blonde Slayer. "I… feel this huge surge inside me… like you're somehow making me whole… that's why I could do those things to the vampires if you hadn't been here I would have just snug them out..." she tried to explain to her friend why she was so scared to even be in the same room with her.

"And when I'm whole… all this magic just swells up inside me and…" she tried to go on, but the words didn't come. How do you explain to your best friend that whenever you're around her your magical powers increase tenfold and you feel them pressing so hard on the back of your head that you just want to scream and break something.

"What you mean… like I complete you or something?" Buffy asked unable to stop herself from making a joke even at time like this.

"In a way… you do…." Willow whispered and Buffy could sense that her friend was using all her willpower to contain the magic that swirled inside her, even after having burned off so much.

"So…. What you saying that… being around me… makes you… Super-Willow?" Buffy tried to form the words but all she could do was to stroke Willow's back as she held her upright. Willow just nodded with a small smile.

"You see, magic is about control and around you… my control isn't that great to begin with and with you doing your completion thing it's almost impossible," the red headed witch explained with a smile. "And I knew that you weren't like that…. and I also needed time to learn more control so I ran away, because I couldn't be around you if it meant hurting you like I did in the cemetery," she babbled as Buffy just smiled at her.

"Willow if you need time… I can give you that," Buffy whispered back as she pulled her friend's hair back from her beautiful face and the Slayer felt her heart jump as Willow gave her the sweetest of smiles.

"You wouldn't be my Buffy otherwise," she whispered and leaned closer causing Buffy to blush bright red and then muttered; "I mean, hell, I need time too…" and Willow just muttered something along the lines of shush before their lips touched softly yet without urgency and Buffy slowly wrapped her arms around Willow.

They stayed like that with Willow leaning into Buffy the Slayer's arms around the Witch their lips pressed together their eyes closer. For both of them it felt like an eternity, but then Willow withdrew.

"I have to go now," she whispered guiltily. "Got to make sure the girls are alright and I'm starting to feel that… build-up again," she said with a blush.

"Oh okay…. I will be around then I guess… sort of got a job now," Buffy whispered back as Willow pulled back and took Buffy's hands in her own.

"You won't have to wait forever I promise," Willow said what they both were thinking. "I mean, it's not like there is a great rush… I mean we've both got to figure stuff out I mean I bet you're just as confused about this as I am and oh here it comes again…" Willow babbled as Buffy pressed her finger against the witch's soft lips and just smiled.

"I know," Buffy simply whispered and Willow mutely nodded her head. She turned to walk away, but she paused and then stopped. Turning around she pulled a green crystal tear on a golden chain from around her neck and handed to Buffy.

"Here take this as a reminder that no matter what… I….," she started but then stopped, pressing it into Buffy's hands and the Slayer just nodded back. She looked down at the necklace and then back up but Willow was gone only a swirling pattern of dust left where she'd stood.

Studying the crystal she spun it on its chain which when she did it showed Willow's face smiling at her and she could have sworn she felt a finger on her cheek for just a moment and then it was gone. Giving an impish smile she decided to try something. "I love you Willow," she whispered at the crystal and she felt a warm feeling inside her.

Not far away where Willow was herding her three coven sisters back to the townhouse she stopped and smiled. "I love you too, Buffy. More than you could ever imagine," she whispered into the night and then heard the girls giggle. "Hey you three! You're still in so much trouble!" she shouted as she chased after them.

**To be continued… so they've admitted it... sort off… but still loads to come**


	7. Chapter 6: Working Nine to Five

_The Author speaks: Right this is for you old timers. In the original story things sort of moved a bit too fast towards the end game after Buffy and Willow's encounter at the end of last chapter. So this is the first totally new chapter I add to the story where I attempt to add some more meat to the original story's very bare bones second half. Thanks again to those who have read and reviewed and of course to my suffering beta reader._

**Chapter 6: Working Nine to Five**

The alarm displayed 8:00 in way too bright orange letters and loudly blasted the Sugar Hill Gang's hit Rapper's Delight. Buffy groaned and with a slam of her fist turned it off. Leaving yet another fist shaped mark in the already dented casing of the poor abused alarm clock.

It had been almost two weeks and she was enjoying this job thing more then she thought possible. Stretching out her lithe body clad in the blue silk pajamas she'd bought with her first paycheck along with what Giles had described as an obscene amount of clothes. She scratched her stomach through the space between top's buttons and looked sheepishly at the battered alarm clock.

The work rotation had been established early on. Spike or Giles usually took the night shift while she was out doing what Alfeo called sanctioned slaying of his demonic cousins. Then she was picked up at nine AM by Thelma and Louise who always handed her a huge stack of papers to read in the limo on the way over to pick up Alfeo. They'd swing by his stately home in the suburbs where he would join her in the back of the limo and then she'd run over the highlights of the reports. He'd quiz her on various topics from the reports or even on whatever book he'd suggest she read.

She glanced over to the copy of Machiavelli's The Prince which had been gifted to her by her undying boss a few days ago. She swore that guy was worse than Giles, but he was her boss so it was harder to say no thanks. If she really thought about it reading stuff wasn't that bad and she was actually learning a lot more than she ever did in High School.

Dragging herself to the suite's bathroom she tossed Giles a grunt as he sat at the table already enjoying his tea and he just nodded back. The suite had become their de facto home in the city now being paid for by Alfeo and his associates. Xander and Anya still hung around from time to time, but they commuted between Sunnydale and San Francisco now acting as go-betweens for the split up group spread over three locations.

Spike was sleeping, or whatever vampires do in the day, in his room. He'd shown up a bit worse for wear that morning muttering something about how she had it easy in the day time. The nights had started to get a bit unruly with regular fights breaking out at the various establishments owned by Alfeo and his superiors.

It wasn't much but she could have sworn that there was a pattern in the reports. The fights were always between different factions. A werewolf would look at a witch the wrong way or an undying from one clan would offend another. Tempers in the community seemed to be short and she knew it would just escalate she had rotten luck like that.

Something was definitely going on and she didn't like it one bit. She'd asked Giles to look into anything like that happening before but it was a lot to ask. Especially when all she had to go on could be just as easily put down to the summer heat.

Once in the bathroom she started pulling of her pajamas in front of the mirror. First slipping of the pants then unbuttoning the top to check for any damage from last night's outing. It wasn't too bad this time just a bruised shoulder and scuffed knees that would be healed up by noon.

Her fingers went to the small pink mark on her chest. It had been two weeks since she'd seen Willow in the warehouse. The red head had not been to the club as far as she was aware of. So what her Willow was up to was a mystery to her. "My Willow?" she asked her reflection. Was Willow really hers? A few sneak peeks at the books Giles had brought back to the hotel suite hadn't given her much to go on.

So far she'd just told him that Willow somehow got super-charged when she was around her. Yet she was still so unsure about the red headed witch. Whenever she tried to talk to Giles about the more kissy aspects of their encounter her tongue would just tie up. After all having an effect on a person was one thing. Causing them to go into magical overload was something new.

"Why can't anything be easy anymore?" she muttered and stepped into the shower getting ready for her day playing part bodyguard part personal assistant to Alfeo. With the water running down her body she couldn't keep Willow out of her thoughts and then after glancing at the door she let her hands wander downwards.

It was a cheerful Slayer that bounced out of the hotel's elevator to meet up with Rocky and Bullwinkle a half an hour later. Rocky as always had a large brown folder ready for her to read through causing her face to fall a little.

"Guys couldn't you bring like a Cosmo or something else to read? Just once?" she asked with a pout as Bullwinkle produced a large Starbucks Black Chocolate with extra sugar and a cookie in a paper bag. "Oh you guys," she smiled at them and they just escorted her to the limo.

Pulling out the pen she'd swiped from Giles. She started going over the reports circling things she felt were important and crossing out others. She was reading a section the recent activities of the city's witches and covens. She was scouring it for any mention of Willow that she had an almost out of body experience. She saw herself tapping the pen, with her hair done up and reading the report. Her suit, well one of her suits fitting her better now after a few more alterations by June and the green crystal tear Willow had given her around her neck. As quickly as it happened it was gone leaving her dumbfounded as she sipped her coffee. Dropping then pen she cursed and fumbled around for it on the floor of the limo.

"Okay… when did this all happen?" she wondered out loud feeling about for her pen and the driver hearing her looked up at her in the rearview mirror.

"Everything alright back there Miss Summers" he asked.

"Yeah just having one of those moments you know," she replied smiling back at him as he nodded back and turned a corner.

When the hell had she turned into this business type person she thought to herself as she bit into her double chip chocolate cookie. Sighing silently she picked up her pen and clicked it a few times. Not all bad she thought to herself she had promised Willow she would wait for her and she wondered if Alfeo would give her a recommendation once this thing was all over.

"Do I want this all to be over?" she said out loud and this time the driver thankfully didn't ask if everything was alright. Her current situation wasn't bad she didn't have Willow back yet but this wasn't bad. She had independence now and her mom was proud of her for landing this internship as she had called it when explaining why she was in San Francisco. All this was missing was Willow. Before she could wonder where that last thought had come from Alfeo slid into the car.

"Morning Miss Summers," he greeted her like he always did bringing with him his usual pile of papers and print outs.

"Gee do you ever sleep Alfie?" she asked him with a grin and the undying sheriff of San Francisco as she'd taken to calling him just smiled back at her.

"I try not to. Anything interesting in today's reports?" he asked as she clicked her pen again and started to run through the things she had highlighted.

"There was another brawl at our club across town a group of wiccans didn't like how the werewolves where behaving apparently," she told him and then turned the page scanning her highlighted sections. "There was an attempted unauthorized embracing uptown but our team got there in time. The involved were taken in and are being held until you can review the situation," she explained.

"Very good, what about your outing last night?" he asked and poured himself a glass of that dark amber liquid that all undying seemed to sip all the time. Buffy hadn't asked about it directly. Yet after giving it a sniff when Alfeo wasn't looking she guessed it was either some form of blood substitute or some sort of elixir to help with dealing with sunlight. It would go a long way to explain why Alfeo was always very focused on keeping good relations with the city's covens.

"Not much activity last night, broke up a fight between two warlocks over this cute... I mean over a witch," she caught herself and Alfeo humored her with a wry grin.

"Not many of your cousins out and about last night, I think they got the hint two weeks ago when me and Willow…" she trailed of playing with the silver signet ring on her right hand.

Alfeo gave her a sympathetic smile and she weakly smiled back at her mentor she guessed was the best name for him now.

"Has she not gotten in contact with you again?" he asked and Buffy could just shake her head in response. "Well, giver her time I am sure she will see that you are more than worth controlling her powers for," he told her and when Buffy raised an eyebrow he just flashed her that fang revealing grin.

"I know, I know. All part of your job," she sighed then looked at him straight in the eye. "Be straight with me Alfie, why am I doing this stuff?" she asked.

"What you mean doing this stuff?" he asked sounding a bit confused for once as he closed his folder and leaned towards her.

"I mean this, reading reports, reading the books you give me. I mean you say that I'm your bodyguard and that it looks good to have a Slayer on the payroll, but sometimes I just feel like… I don't know… that you're training me or something," she blurted out realizing that she probably made very little sense. "Am I just a glorified personal assistant that kicks ass or what?" she asked as Alfeo leaned back again.

"You do not miss much and I like that about you Buffy," he told her for the first time in like ever calling her something aside from Miss Summers or worse yet Elisabeth. "Let us just say that I am endeavoring to prepare you for what is to come much like Mr. Giles," he explained to her.

"Gee cryptic much?" she asked. "Fine it's your money and if you don't want to share just yet I can deal with that. Still this better not be some evil plot to turn me into a productive member of society or else you are in serious trouble mister," she joked as he opened up his report again with a grin.

"I would not dream of it Miss Summer. Now - Who are we meeting with today?" he asked scanning the report.

"First up it's that Victor Largo guy again he's been bitching and moaning… I mean complaining with good reasons that the other groups in his area haven't been paying him and his undying the respect he feels they are due," she corrected herself half way through and Alfeo gave an approving nod for her to go. "Now I suggest we go and soothe his hurt ego, but also reinforce the idea that we all need to get along," she suggested. "Maybe try to get some information from the other groups as well?" she added.

Alfeo nodded at her and then with a small grin. "And what would your preferred method of dealing with this problem be?" he asked and Buffy gave him her best who-me look. "Humor me?"

"Punch him repeatedly in the face telling him he's not the center of the world just because he might be old as it," she muttered guilty clenching her fists and for the first time she heard Alfeo laugh. Maybe this today wouldn't be so bad after all.

Across town Willow was not having a good day. Wearing her old gym clothes from High School in a nondescript gymnasium she looked at six young witches. Three of which she had saved that night when she ran into Buffy. She was still feeling the after-effects of that meeting both emotionally and mystically. Being that close to Buffy had overloaded her in every possible way. When she had asked Lily her mentor about it, she had told her that was all to do with her unresolved feelings towards Buffy and until she sorted that out she'd never reach her full potential. Cryptic much had been her reply and if she was totally honest her full potential scared the living daylights out of her.

On the other side of the gymnasium there were six dummies not to be confused with the six witches. All sporting burn marks and punctures. A few stakes could be seen sticking out of them in all the wrong places.

"Right let's get try this again," she half sighed as she stood in front of the gathered witches. All of them around her age but she felt very old when she was with them for some reason. Way older than eighteen that was for sure. Maybe it was the silver grey streaks in her hair or just the fact that she had to bail them out the other night and Lily had politely asked her to train the girls. Just in case.

"My vampires are not your kind of vampires," she explained to them again. "They're not charming, they're not as sexy and they usually smell worse," she said them and the girls giggled. "They will not give you a fair chance, they will not fly you to Paris if they really like you," she went on and looked firmly at the three of the girls.

"Emma, Amber and Tory here can tell you all the other gruesome details," she pointed at the three girls she and Buffy had rescued making sure that her eyes glowed green. One of the girls raised her hand almost in fright of the red haired witch chewing them out again.

"Yes Emily, you have a question?" Willow asked the sandy blond haired girl with a pretty round face and doe-like green eyes.

"Well… I… I mean we are just curious… that other girl that helped save Emma, Amber and Tory and that you kissed afterwards…" she tried to say but Willow gave her such a sweet yet menacing look that the girl seemed to lose her voice.

Turns out the girls had wanted to be sure that Willow was okay after her little rainstorm outburst and they'd snuck a peak back to the warehouse only to arrive in time to see her making out with Buffy.

"What I was going to ask… is she like our vampires or is she your vampire?" the girl managed to squeak out with a bit more emphasis on your vampire then she had planned causing the other girls to stifle their giggles.

"No Buff… I mean she is not a vampire or mine for that matter, Emily do I really have to explain what Slayers are to you?" Willow asked with her face showing her obvious shock.

"That's like a heavy metal group or something?" another girl asked and Willow let out a pained groan and motion for the girls to sit down as she lowered herself Indian style to the floor.

"Right evil demonic vampires and Slayers 101," she started as the girls all sat down and looked at her. Willow started repeating the standard story Giles so loved retelling about one girl in every generation and things going back to the dawn of time. Then she started telling them about Buffy, how she'd met her and how they had become best friends. Before she knew it was almost gushing about just how often Buffy had saved her and how she always made time for her.

Emily slowly raised her hand again and that seemed to snap Willow out of the babble-stream she hadn't even known she was in. "Yes Emily?" she asked with a bit of a faraway tone to her voice.

"Don't take this the wrong way Willow… but you are like totally crushing on this Slayer girl and… well where can I find one?" Emily blurted out then blushing bright red.

"Sorry she's one of a kind," Willow told the girl with a small almost smug smile on her face. She turned bright red when she realized what she had said. Standing up she fumbled for words for a few moments. "Right let's try telekinetic magic aided stake throwing again okay?" she asked the girls who were all trying and failing to suppress their giggles.

Two hours later in the changing rooms. Willow was pulling of her top when Emily somehow sneaked up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. Spinning around with green sparks dancing around her raised hand the young witch yelped and jumped backwards.

"Oh god I'm so sorry Emily," Willow apologized and lowered her claw like hand. "Just a bit on edge you now…" she tried to explain to the girl who just nodded meekly having gone very pale.

"She really got into your head uh?" the girl asked and Willow just sighed. "Or is it one of those complicated things?" she asked sitting down looking up at Willow.

"It's one of those complicated things," Willow admitted as she undid her bra and the young witch couldn't help but to stare. Willow's smooth and pale skin, usually unbroken, sported pale glowing green lines that seemed to snake out from the middle of her back and out into her shoulders and arms.

"Emily you're staring," Willow informed the witch without turning around then smiled over her shoulder at the girl. Then with a grunt signaling the effort involved the snaking tendrils of energy seemed to pull in towards the center of her back and then vanish.

"I… I … wasn't staring at that... I mean you're like totally hot… I mean… oh crap I'm not sounding good am I?" the young witch stammered as Willow turned around holding a towel over her breasts. Not wanting to explode the girl's head.

"Emily it's alright, really it is," she assured her kneeling down in front of the girl, trying to ease her fears.

"But you've got like glowing green stuff under your skin… I may not been a witch very long but I now that's not right," Emily protested and Willow only smiled at the girl studying here wondering when she herself had stopped being so wide eyed.

She was cute no doubting that, all innocence and sweetness and perhaps If this was a few weeks ago she'd have taken full advantage of the situation. Yet now when she looked at this cute girl all she could think was that this girl was not Buffy.

The young witch getting the wrong idea by Willow's drawn out silence quickly leaned forward and kissed the red headed witch on the lips. Willow froze as the younger witch gave her a kiss that dragged on and then slowly pulled back looking a little dejected. "Guess I'm no Slayer uh?" she asked sheepishly and all Willow could do was shake her head.

"She's super lucky you know and super dumb as well," Emily said before seeing that Willow's face sadden in silent acknowledgement that she was in fact being the dumb one.

"Oh… so it's not her is it?" she asked and Willow shook her head. "Well I'm sure you'll figure it out," the girl said in a perky voice.

"You're like the super-genius around here after all right?" she asked and Willow couldn't help but to smile at the girl.

"Now you go shower and then you can tell me about this weird green glowing stuff and we can talk a bit about this Slayer of yours okay?" she asked gesturing at Willow who in turn silently nodded glad to have somebody to talk to that either didn't lecture her on power and responsibility or that she would just try to jump and maybe blow up a chunk of the city.

Giles sat in the library Alfeo had given him access to so he could better study what texts the undying had on hand. It was located in nondescript apartment building not far from their hotel. While the first floor contained normal apartments the massive library took up the entire second and third floors. He felt very much at home here as he sipped his tea, with two books open on the desk in front of him and his sword resting against the wall behind him.

Turning the pages he took notes in flowing script on a pad next to him. Buffy had asked him to look into what could be causing the various factions to suddenly be so hostile. He had also noticed her paging through his texts on witches. What little she had shared of their encounter at the warehouse had prompted him to do his own research into what could be affecting their friend.

While he was finding records of various demons, events and spells that could account for the various factions of supernatural beings within the city to suddenly turn xenophobic. He had yet to found anything solid to go on, nothing that could explain it any easier than putting it down to the warm summer nights. Regarding Willow's problem on the other hand he had found some texts on and what he found worried him.

The young witch had told Buffy that whenever she was around the Slayer she felt her powers grow until they were almost demanding to be released. He had not said anything to Buffy at the time, but it was quite clear to him that the girls were meant for each other and this was just one proof of that. Yet how the Slayer's presence was fueling Willow's innate abilities was a mystery to him.

Searching for other answers he'd found an obscure text about a coven from the year 1498 trying to create a magical version of the Council's Slayer. A girl empowered not by physical strength but by magical strength. They had attempted to create a witch capable of not just wielding magic but storing it within her almost like a battery. The more he read the more it made sense, but the coven of 1498 had failed. No recorded instances of their success could be found. So why Willow was displaying signs that eerily lined up with the texts didn't make sense.

Sighing he placed a leather bookmark in the book and closed it and leaned back in his chair, he hadn't had much time to pause and think since Buffy had agreed to Alfeo's offer. Of course being the dutiful watcher he had followed her and he would have been lying if he had said he didn't like the perks of the job. Looking around the well stocked library he couldn't suppress a smile.

Thinking that this was maybe what the scroll that arrived with the sword had meant. Maybe his role in this was to find out how Buffy and Willow could be together, to divine what power was keeping them apart or in another way was forcefully pulling them together with devastating results on Willow. What was fueling Willow's emotions and power?

Shaking his head he hummed a few bars of Matchmaker, matchmaker find me a match from Fiddler on the Roof. Then his eyes went wide, hurriedly he went to a bookcase and pulled out a book titled Soul Mates and Kindred Spirits. Paging through it he found the chapter and read out loud. "When two beings of are joined so that one's power is greater... then the other…" he stopped reading and realized that the spell the coven had cast in 1498 hadn't worked because the Slayer of that area and the girl the spell had been cast on hadn't been… "Soul mates…" he said to himself as he turned to his journal having to write his thoughts down before they slipped from his mind.

From the journal of Rupert Giles…

It seems that I have discovered the reason for Willow's increase in power and unstable nature over the past few months. A spell cast five hundred years ago seems to be playing matchmaker with my Slayer and our red haired friend. Now the question remains. Do I attempt to the force the issue of the relationship or do I play the role of passive matchmaker? I do not wish the girls to think that they're being drawn together simply by some ancient spell and it's my belief that given time they will come to see that they love each other spell or no.

One thing is for certain my experiences and training up to this point, have in no way prepared me for what is to come or what is being required of me. Sometimes like my vampire companion Spike says; it's easier just to hit things. There is only one option open to me I must somehow contact Willow without Buffy finding out and see if she knows what I've just discovered.

He put down his pen and leaned back in his chair again, with his hands behind his head he started to sing Oh If I were a rich man as he wondered if any other watchers in history had had this many problems thrown at him that couldn't be sorted by stake, spell or sword.

**To be continued…**


	8. Chapter 7: Undying Summer

_The Author Speaks: Right this is a new original chapter for the most part. Now aside from a big plot point the old timers are probably familiar with regarding Xander this story is now in full rebuild mode. There I said it. I know it's very George Lucas of me, but I just don't like how I wrote the original middle and ending thirteen years ago. Characters will get introduced differently, some will change in major ways and the focus will be more on the big three of Buffy, Willow and Giles in that order. _

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><p><strong>Chapter 7: Undying Summer<strong>

Buffy had a raging headache where she was standing behind Alfeo in a darkened meeting room that just shouted look at me. It had way too much dark wood, way too much red and the three undying sitting across from Alfeo looked full of self-entitled pompousness. They'd been here for two hours talking in circles and how Alfeo did this was beyond her, she just wanted to throttle these smug arrogant sons of a bitches across the table into nice little undying-shaped stains.

Her eyes once again scanned the room while Victor Largo droned on about their privileged right as princes of the night or something equally cliché. Her eyes again fell on the petite young woman who was taking notes. She had pale, almost luminescent skin, big icy blue eyes, and ebony black hair done up in a tight bun. The woman glanced up and Buffy fought the urge to gulp. The undying woman's eyes were drilling into hers. She felt that pressure at the back of her head again and this time she wasn't having any of it. She remembered feeling the same from Alfeo when they first met, but this time she focused on it and mentally pushed back. She pushed back hard.

The woman's eyes went wide and she dropped her pen she was taking notes with. Both Alfeo and Victor glanced at her as she excused herself wiping a bit of blood from her nose.

"Elisabeth, would you please make sure that Miss Largo is alright?" Alfeo asked with a pointed look back at the Slayer who to her credit was doing a very good job of hiding her puzzled face. She gave a firm nod and left the meeting room. Then he turned his look back to the trifecta of what he as well considered to be nothing more than pompous privileged fledglings, not that he'd ever say that out loud.

"That's quite some familiar you've got there," Victor spoke up once the women had left the room and Alfeo just smirked at the undying royal. Same pale skin as the woman who had just left, but sporting narrower eyes and a fashionable haircut topped of with a dark blue business suit.

"That she is Mister Largo. Now can we get back the matter at hand?" Alfeo asked opening up his manila folder filled with complaints and grievances that he was there trying to sort out.

"Oh I think I would like to know more about your blonde familiar or is she your childe already?" Victor asked, grinning as he tried to bait the Prince's sheriff. "I simply did not think you had it in you, old man! I mean she's so young. How old? Seventeen, eighteen?" he teased the older undying.

"Who I accept into my service and what their age is none of your business Mister Largo," Alfeo replied in a firm voice. "Now... Your area has seen the worst of our current outbreaks of what Miss Summers has called supernatural xenophobia and I am here to make sure you take action. So page three of the report if you please?" he asked in a smooth voice and made a show of playing with his signet ring.

Outside the meeting room in the dark hallway Buffy stepped out of through the doors and nodded to Bonnie and Clyde who pointed her towards the far end of the hall. There she could see the young woman leaning against the wall. Buttoning her jacket she made her way over and saw the blood still running from the woman's nose and pooling in her hand.

"Are you alright Miss Largo?" she asked trying to use her Alfeo voice but it just wasn't her. The woman really was petite, shorter than she was and wearing a white dress. The woman sniffled and pulled herself upright. Buffy pulled out a handkerchief from the inside of her jacket, mentally noting to thank June for insisting she always carry one. "Here…" she offered as the woman warily looked at her then with slender fingers took the offered handkerchief, wiping the blood off her nose and then off her hand.

"What are you?" she asked avoiding eye contact with Buffy at all costs as the Slayer watched her clean herself up.

"What you mean, I'm just Alfeo's bodyguard sometimes glorified personal assistant," Buffy tried to protest and use humor to deflect the woman's question. The woman shook her head while turning her head when Buffy tried to look into her eyes again.

"No… no you're not… you're something else… when did he embrace you?" said the younger Largo sibling. "No not even if he embraced you. Not even the Elders can do what you did in there," she went on as Buffy decided her best course of action was to play along.

"Well I am something special I guess," she said while guiding the undying to one of the benches that lined the walls.

"Alfeo has been really good to me," she went on trying not to smile too broadly while trying to remember the reports on the Largos. She sat down next to the girl, pulling out a small silver flask of that amber liquid that Alfeo kept drinking. Again June was coming through as Q to her Bond, making sure she had everything she needed.

"Luna, can I call you Luna, Miss Largo?" she asked offering the woman the flask. The woman nodded and took the offered flask, taking a big gulp of the blood substitute before offering it back.

"Too early for me," Buffy joked. "Not sure how to put this since Alfie is the one good with big words, but what I'm trying to say is that my job sort of is complicated," she tried to explain with her mind spinning as she realized that Alfeo had never told anybody that she was the Slayer.

They all thought she was one of them or at least being prepared to be one of them. All she could think was that her undying boss was one crafty bastard that played it close to the chest.

"I understand Miss Summers it is not uncommon for men like Alfeo to take a familiar or embrace a person without it being common knowledge…" Luna spoke for the first time since asking what Buffy was.

"Eww…. are you suggesting that… me and Alfeo?" Buffy asked so put off by the thought that her façade of being the cultured apprentice of Alfeo slipped a bit.

"Oh no you misunderstand Miss Summers, Alfeo would never do something so crass," Luna quickly corrected her and Buffy could sense that she was soft on the older undying. "I was merely stating that Alfeo would probably keep somebody with your potential under wraps for as long as possible," Luna said in an apologetic tone and graced Buffy with a small smile while offering her back the handkerchief.

"Please call me Buffy. You're nothing like your brother, are you?" Buffy joked. "No keep it," she said and watched the woman neatly fold it. The silence stretched out between them as they sat there neither too keen on returning to hear Victor and Alfeo verbally fence.

"I guess I'm the more human sibling," Luna stated finally and smiled a little when Buffy looked at her with a smile of her own.

"Hey human is good too right?" Buffy said putting her hand on Luna's shoulder and she could feel her tense up. "Hey relax we're all friends right?" she asked and Luna nodded her head. "So how you say we go back in there and you can watch Alfeo for an hour or so more?" she teased and she could see a very faint bluish blush come to Luna's cheeks. "Thought so," she giggled and helped the young undying stand up.

An hour and half later and sitting in the back of the limo Buffy looked at Alfeo and couldn't help it. "I think Luna Largo is soft on you Alfie," she teased her boss who just raised an eyebrow.

"Luna Largo is much more then she seems," Alfeo replied simply in full cryptic-much mode as Buffy liked to call it. "Be very careful what you do or say around her."

"Well she's the nicer of the two that's for sure," Buffy said and then looked straight at Alfeo. "Oh and I think I figured out what my job is," she said and when Alfeo didn't reply. "I'm your ace in the hole, right? I mean they all think I'm just your familiar or something?" she asked and Alfeo gave her a proud smile and nodded. "Alfie you're one devious son of a…" she giggled only stopping herself as Alfeo mock glared at her.

"So tell me what's with the look into my eyes while I probe your brain deal?" she asked and managed to make Alfeo look surprised for once.

"You felt that?" he asked putting down his reports and like always when it was lesson time he leaned forward to be at eyelevel with Buffy.

"Yeah like a bad migraine coming in at the back of my head, but I pushed back this time," she explained with a sheepish grin. "Did I do bad?" she asked.

"No, not bad, perhaps a bit hasty, but now at least the Largos know that you're not to be trifled with. That is if Luna shares that information," he said with a sly grin.

"Is she one of… well your men in black?" Buffy asked with a raised eyebrow. "Like a super-secret agent?" she giggled.

"No nothing so complex, but she does not share her brother's agenda," he explained and to his credit managed not to sigh.

"So that thing she did, what was it, do you guys have a name for it?" Buffy asked still compiling her mental notes on the undying vampires.

"We call it the domination gift. Not all undying have it and it also depends on their age and strength of will among other things," he answered.

"Hold on, hold on 'domination?" Buffy asked her red lips breaking into a wide smile. "Like Luna was trying to do be all Mistress Largo with my brain?" she asked and Alfeo just shook his head. "What was that one too obvious?" she exclaimed and she could hear the driver chuckle in the front.

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><p>In the library Giles had cleared a large area in the center of the room. After securing some chalk he'd drawn a large circle on the floor. More scouring about had secured him four bowls that he filled with water, placing them at the four directions of the compass. Double checking his notes, he looked around to make sure it was all clear.<p>

"Right Willow. Time for you and I to have a little chat," he said and stepped into the circle of the ring pulling out his sword again. Kneeling in the center of the ring clasping the sword in front of him he muttered the words to the tracking spell, drawing on the inherit magic of the sword. Mist rose up from the bowls of water around him and the sword started to glow faintly. Pressing the flat edge of the blade the glass of his watch and the glow slowly transferred over.

"Willow detector…" he dryly muttered pulling the sleeve of his turtleneck over his watch. Maybe Spike was right, he thought, and both of them were spending way too much time around their young allies. Putting the sword away he headed out into the city looking for the young witch.

It took some walking, but a tram ride and a ride later he found Willow, sitting outside a small café chatting with a petite young woman. Slowly making his way up behind he came to a stop behind Willow. The girl looked up at him and when Willow asked what it was she simply pointed at Giles.

"Oh…" Willow said turning around to face Giles like she'd been expecting him. "Emily why don't you go back to the house, me and my friend here need to talk a bit," she said and the girl mutely nodded before flashing Giles a nervous smile and fled.

"Took you long enough," Willow said as Giles sat down and waved for the waitress. Willow adjusted her white blouse and pulled her silver grey locks behind her ears while she waited for Giles to order.

"Tea please, Earl grey," he told the waitress and then looked at Willow, seeing her for the first time since before she'd fled Sunnydale. He could see why Buffy had been concerned, but she didn't seem unstable, pissed off that she'd been interrupted and perhaps a little more mature. Yet not unstable like Buffy had made her out to be then again the Slayer wasn't here.

"Nice little spell there Giles," the red head said, pointing at Giles' glowing watch and the Watcher smirked at her.

"It was a bit less auspicious then a divining rod," he shot back at the girl as the waitress arrived with his tea smiling at him and he smiled back causing the girl to almost giggle.

"Or perhaps better than a certain sword?" Willow fired before taking a sip of her chocolate.

"Cute girl that Emily," Giles shot back and Willow face grew dark as the watcher sipped his tea.

"Problem with that Giles?" she asked her voice clearly showing her anger. Giles studied her while she sipped her drink clearly her sexuality and Buffy were very touchy subjects. Further driving home what he already suspected.

"I said nothing of the sort," he replied and stirred his tea as Willow visibly calmed down.

"Look Giles as cute as the protective dad look is on you. Why don't you just tell me why you delved into spell casting to find me?" she asked him after getting her focus back, smirking a bit as Giles was taken aback by her blunt statement.

"Very well. I came upon an account of a spell cast five hundred years ago," he started and Willow looked at him. "A spell cast to create a magical equal to the Slayer," he went on and Willow nodded for him to continue. "But the spell required the witch to be close to the Slayer," he added.

"Explains a bit," Willow muttered as she blushed a bit.

"Now Willow spell or no I came to tell you that I don't think the spell is the reason for the feelings you feel for Buffy," said calmly and Willow's eyes widened almost in a panic. "Look I can see that you are both confused and the fact that you lose your focus when around her is understandable, but there is a simple way to solve…" Willow cut him off with a raised hand.

"Giles are you trying… to set me up with your Slayer… bad watcher," she teased him.

"I just want the two of you to be happy and I believe that once you two sort out whatever it is that bothering you your powers will come under control," he said trying to keep his tone civil and not give away too much of what he knew. He did not want the girls to feel forced in any way or get the feeling that yet again their lives where being dictated by prophecy.

"She really does care about you. If you leave it will hurt her more than you could imagine," he said to the young woman in a very fatherly voice.

"I know that very well Giles, better than you can imagine," she replied trying to keep her voice calm but he could hear the shaking, the fear and the uncertainty.

"Then what are you afraid of?" Giles asked, realizing that before him sat a wielder of great power that at the same time was so scared that she might hurt somebody. Very much like any new Slayer would be.

"I've done things Giles. Things she might not understand. Things that would make her hate me if she ever found out about them and that I'm not…" Willow paused forcing her voice to be calm.

"You're not what?" Giles asked leaning forward and looking into the girls' green eyes that were almost glistening with tears.

"I'm not the same Willow that she knew," she said never once breaking the calmness of her voice.

"I think she knows that," he replied in that same fatherly voice that always made Willow long for a closer relationship with her own distant parents. "And who is to say that she is the same Buffy? Everybody changes not just you," he added.

"But how can I ask her to accept what I've done lately?" Willow asked with wet eyes and a desperate look on her soft features.

"She is your friend first, she'll understand all these romantic entanglements aside," Giles said reassuringly taking her hand in his.

"I'm not so sure of that Giles, I mean I've…" Willow stammered and tried to pull her hand away but Giles wasn't having any of it.

"Done what? Flirted with other girls? Shagged a few?" he asked rather bluntly causing Willow's face to turn bright red. She nodded quietly as he seemed to study her for a while. "Well it's been a pleasure," he said standing up.

"Oh that's it? No talking about how my use of magic is irresponsible?" she asked a bit disappointed she sounded like she missed her friends terribly.

"Whatever troubles you about admitting your feelings about Buffy is not something I can aid you in. All I can say is that I truly believe that she cares about you more than anybody else," he said as Willow nodded and watched his back as he walked away whistling.

Then he stopped and turned around. "Just remember nobody is a saint Willow. I should know," he told her with a grin.

Willow grinning despite herself stared into her chocolate and once again that image of her and Buffy kissing seemed to shimmer to life. She smiled wistfully to herself, maybe it was time to stop being scared after all. She'd asked Buffy to wait but even her best friend probably had her limits.

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><p>Buffy finished her shift as Alfeo's bodyguard with Spike taking over for the night time. Leaving with the latest book gifted to her stuffed into her coat. She'd done a quick sweep for vampires before heading for the now familiar Dave's Diner. Where the waitress always gave her extra pancakes because she was soft on Giles and thought she was his daughter.<p>

"Sun Tzu's the Art of War," she read out loud on the front cover of the red book that Alfeo had handed her on her way out of the club. She started reading it and nibbling at her pancakes getting so engrossed that she didn't notice much going on around her.

"Good book," a familiar voice said from next to her and Buffy fought the urge to knock the owner out because she'd not sensed her approaching. Which was sort of funny considering she'd just finished reading something that made her think: If your enemy expects you to be somewhere, don't be there.

"How did you? Never mind why do I even ask anymore," Buffy sighed and looked over at Luna Largo sitting next to her this time wearing very sexy club-wear; a tight black corset and matching black paint on jeans. With her long black hair falling down around her shoulders and her icy blue eyes seeming brighter Buffy found herself staring.

"Ahem. As much as I enjoy the attention a hello would be in order first don't you think?" Luna said in a teasing voice.

"Oh sorry you're just a bit different from earlier," Buffy sheepishly apologized, becoming very interesting in her stack of pancakes.

"I never said you had to stop looking, though, did I?" the undying woman whispered leaning in closer, causing Buffy to mentally beat down the heat she felt rising into her cheeks.

"I... I meant it's just you're so different that it's hard not to look," she manage to squeak out feeling the surprisingly warm breath on her cheek. Luna flashed a fanged smile as she moved away. "Just no trying to dominate me okay?" she teased back once the petite woman wasn't pressing her lips against her ear.

"I shouldn't have tried it today, but I was curious," Luna admitted sounding genuinely apologetic as the waitress brought her a menu with a wary look.

"You're so not like your brother. Going to go clubbing later?" Buffy asked and Luna smiled back at her, this time their eyes meeting and Buffy found herself reminding herself that she was waiting for Willow.

"I Was thinking of doing that. Perhaps I could convince you to come with me?" she asked with a shy little smile. "That is unless you plan on taking your book and going to bed?"

Buffy narrowed her eyes a bit. "Miss Largo, are you teasing me?" she asked and then grinned at her when the undying went to apologize. Buffy smiled at her, studying the woman, remembering what Alfeo had said about her, that she had her own agenda. That nothing she did was done without some sort of plan behind it. Well she could plan just as well.

"You know what how about you and I paint the town red tonight? Well not literally?" she asked and Luna broke into a wide smile that scared her for a second. Worried that offering to paint the town red with an undying probably entailed a bit more blood then she was used to seeing on a night out.

"Gotcha!" Luna giggled and Buffy smiled back at her but also gave her a punch to the arm.

"Alfeo warned me about you," she laughed polishing off her stack of pancakes. "Okay good to go," she said and covered her mouth with her hand for a small burp. Luna graced her with a small smile and again Buffy felt that confusion surge up inside her.

Later in the night they were walking down the street towards Luna's dwellings. Buffy's coat was flapping behind her in the breeze while Luna seemed unconcerned by the weather. Having been a bit confused on the etiquette of the situation she'd offered Luna her arm and to her surprise the undying woman had taken it. They'd been to a few clubs that she'd never imagine the sophisticated and soft spoken undying to be caught dead in. They'd danced and shared drinks and now she was escorting the woman back home.

"So who is the lucky girl?" Luna asked looking up at the taller Slayer and then leaning against her.

"Uh, what do you mean lucky girl?" Buffy asked not faking her surprise very well.

"Oh come now Buffy. I'm way older than you think. It has been a long time since I've seen somebody so stubbornly ignore my signals," she giggled causing Buffy to start to blush.

"Well when you pulled my head to your neck and said go for it…" Buffy muttered blushing bright red. Luna had smelled so good that she'd had to pull on all her willpower to not just suck the pale flesh on offer.

"She must be very special," Luna said then leaned in close to Buffy and whispered. "I won't tell if you don't," she whispered and bit her lower lip showing her fangs as Buffy felt herself being pulled to a stop.

"Luna.. I… I've never…" she stammered as she felt the undying woman wrap herself around her and she was way stronger then she looked. Well two could play that game she thought to herself. "Oh my…" Luna half moaned as Buffy pulled her off her feet. "Okay… you want to play…" Buffy almost growled and leant down to kiss Luna, putting all her strength into it. "We can play…"

"Lookie here boys, a dinner and a show," a rough voice interrupted them and Buffy quickly pushed Luna behind her smoothly pulling out her stake. Sighing dramatically she pushed the button and the stake shot out of its handle. Did vampires just have this secret ability to interrupt her when things were about to get fun?

"Oh you picked the wrong…" she started but before she could finish there was a blur and Luna was standing with her fist punched through the vampire's chest, its heart in her clenched fist that stuck out of the hole in its back.

"Wow…" Buffy muttered as the vampire crumbled into dust around Luna's blood covered arm. Spinning around with the dust trailing her movements the undying sporting a feral look on her face spin for the other vampire who was staring slack-jawed at the petite woman who'd just gone Temple of Doom on his buddy.

"Incoming," Luna said and roughly picked the other vampire up by the front of its shirt and hurled it towards Buffy who scissor kicked it to the ground and staked it in one smooth motion. Looking up at the woman covered in dust with blood all over her arm Buffy gave a very good imitation of the Giles raised eyebrow look.

"You are way more then you seem Luna," she commented as the undying offered Buffy her hand and hauled her to her feet.

"Well a girl's got to have secrets," Luna smiled as Buffy pulled her in close with her eyes flashing dangerously. Kissing the petite woman full on the lips she found herself being pushed against a wall hard.

Not having any of it she spun Luna around pinning her to the wall instead. "If we're going to do this… you submit to me," Buffy sweetly purred as Luna smirked back at her. "My apartment is over there," she motioned to her left.

"Good," Buffy growled and moments later they were bursting through Luna's front door. Groping and kissing as Luna guided them to her bedroom. The undying woman was clawing at the Slayer's jacket and shredding the back of it. There was a loud ripping noise as Buffy tore the corset of Luna's petite body. Holding the pulled apart garment like trophy then flinging it away before pushing her back onto the purple covers of the bed.

"Oh my," Luna gulped from where she lay sprawled out as Buffy undid her blouse. The Slayer's toned body flexing and her pale pink bra not hiding anything of her arousal. Throwing her blouse into the corner of the room she crawled over the undying woman who lay topless among purple satins on the bed.

"Now this ever gets… and I mean ever… gets out," Buffy growled grinning like a predator at Luna as she lowered her mouth to a pale breast. "I will stake you understood?" she mumbled with her lips around Luna's breast.

"Oh... I can be the soul of… discretion!" Luna moaned out as she ran her pale fingers through the Slayer's blonde hair as she felt a knee pressing between her legs.

The Wonder Twins hadn't commented when they had showed up at Luna's house to collect her carrying a fresh suit and a toiletries bag from June. They had then patiently waited outside the front door while she changed with Luna watching her wearing just a short robe that didn't cover much. Then Luna had just kissed her on the cheek and teased her about this Willow girl whose name she had kept moaning. Then she'd not been allowed to leave before Luna slipped her a business card with her numbers on it, but also written on it was 'Anytime'. Buffy, in short, wasn't having the best of mornings and she felt ashamed, yet oddly in control of herself.

"Gee can't even do my walk of shame in peace, huh guys?" she quipped at her constant companions who just smirked at her, but one of them did give her a sneaky thumbs up before pulling the limo door open for her.

While reading the reports she thought back to what she'd just done. Wondering why she had done it. Tapping her pen against the folder holding the reports she then doodled on the margins on of one of them. Had it been a power thing? Had it just been that long since she'd had any action? Had it been that Luna has just been so damn sexy that her brain just took a hike for the night?

Shaking her head and mentally cursing at herself for being so damn confused about everything. She felt the limo stopping, signaling that they were outside Alfeo's house.

Glancing at the Art of War that he had given her she started thinking that Luna had given in a bit too easily. Had she just been tested by a decadent undying manipulator? Had she failed or passed? Oh who cared? It had felt so good and maybe once Willow was done with being all broody about her powers she wouldn't be a total beginner. She grinned despite herself thinking about doing some of those things to Willow, but had to stop as the limo door opened and Alfeo slid into his usual seat across from her. Busying herself back in her reports she waited for the limo to take off again.

"Good morning Alfie," she greeted him with her usual sunny smile looking up from her manila folder. She was also hoping that the marks had healed overnight and that her boss wouldn't pick up on anything. Fat chance of that her mind chirped in.

"Luna Largo eh?" he asked her while filing trough his reports folder and Buffy had to bite back a curse.

"Well… sort of just happened…." she tried to explain it so it wouldn't come off as just hormones "We went dancing walked her home, dusted some vamps…" she trailed off.

"You do realize that Luna Largo never does anything without reason right?" Alfeo asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"Hey I was firmly in control of that!" Buffy protested and then blushed at what she'd just said.

"Did she bite you?" Alfeo asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Uh no, not my first time with a one of the fanged crowd," she shot back. "Look I just wanted to get a beat on her and she's just so very…. It's like she just knows just what to make you tick," she tried to explain it how the undying Luna had totally scrambled her brains.

"Do not take this the wrong way, but I think she was just testing you," Alfeo said dryly. "Seeing how far she could get with you and if I am not mistaking you were also testing the waters right?" he asked and turned a page of his report.

"Maybe just a little bit," she admitted then looked up angrily. "Hey that didn't sound very nice!" she exclaimed as he just nodded at her that spoke volumes what he thought about her dalliances with Luna Largo.

"What you do when not working for me is not my concern. However it does seem that Luna Largo has taken an interest in you and that may work in our advantage, did she say anything?" he asked circling something in his report.

"Just that her brother is the biggest jerk on the western hemisphere, she's not a fan of what he's doing," Buffy said. "To be honest with the right application of force we could easily get him replaced," she smiled at her boss.

"Are you suggesting that we go behind the scenes to oust a sitting member of the Council of Royals?" Alfeo asked without showing any hint of how felt on the matter.

"Well yeah I mean it's obvious that the guy is just pissing in the pool isn't it? I mean Luna is a lot more open minded and well… I've got a few ideas," she smiled at him and passed him a piece of paper.

Making sure the partition between them and the driver was closed. He leaned backwards reading over the ideas on the paper, written in a scribble distinctive of somebody fresh out of High School, but the ideas where solid and downright devious. Plans on how to undermine Largos leadership, sabotage his operations and embarrass him in front of his peers.

"Very detailed Miss Summers," he said sounding almost impressed. "And you do this why?" he asked. "I mean he's keeping things stable is he not?"

"Not really. Look you can call it my gut instinct or maybe Luna talks too much the morning after. But he is up to something, he doesn't like you, he doesn't like Daniel and by God he hates my guts for some reason," she ranted off. "So yeah if we need to take this guy out this is how you'd do it," she added.

"Well you are right on that. This is a very good plan and he is probably up to something," Alfeo replied and lowered the shield. "Take us to the Council building," he said.

He smiled at her and Buffy couldn't help but to grin back. Then that nagging little voice came back reminding her of all the things she'd done last night and how if Willow ever found out she'd be so hurt. Stupid Jiminy Cricket like conscience that always sounded like Giles she thought and then mentally beat the voice down.

Willow had gotten her fun on at the club and she'd seen exactly what kind of fun too. She remembered it very well in fact. Now she'd had hers, fair is fair. Plus her mind reminded her again, in great detail, that Luna had taught her some cool stuff and that being in control of the undying had felt surprisingly good. Almost scarily good of the am I being evil kind.

Try to dominate me will she? Well I showed her she thought to herself as they drove to a nondescript office-building in the center of the city's business district. It was marked by its dark windows and a strange red symbol above the front entrance, the same symbol as on her ring. There were dark clouds gathering in the sky and the drops of rain started hitting the roof of the limo as they drew closer.

"Congratulation Miss Summers you get to meet a Prince today," Alfeo told her as they pulled up outside it.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued…<strong>

_The Author speaks some more: Right you old timers I told you at the start I was throwing out the script of the original! ;) As for the rest of you did you see that one coming uh?_


	9. Chapter 8: Into the Darkness

_The Author Speaks: Strap yourselves in because I'm producing original stuff for the first time in seven years here. Things will get bumpy. Also thanks to my beta reader and only source of feedback some days._

**Chapter 8: Into the Darkness**

Buffy buttoned and unbuttoned her suit as they rode down in the elevator. She watched the numbers countdown. This place seemed to extend down below much further then it reached up into the sky. The elevator came to a stop and the doors opened, revealing a long hallway ending at double steel doors. She had to shake of the feeling that this was the final step, no going back now. No running back to Sunnydale. Somehow everything had a real deal with the devil sort of feel.

"Wow evil lair much?" she couldn't resist asking as Alfeo just glanced at her and fixed his tie.

"Now when in the presence of the Prince you get down on one knee and wait to be told to rise," he told her, giving her a crash course in etiquette since this was coming a bit sooner than he had planned.

"Gotcha, no looking at the Prince of darkness until told to," she joked as they started walking down the long hallway with Tom and Jerry trailing behind them.

"Second answer any question truthfully and try to keep your quips to yourself," he added with a small smile. "The Prince has patience of a sort, but if you thought I was busy you really have no idea," he explained to her and she nodded buttoning up her blouse.

"And what if he asks me something I'm not too eager to answer? Oh like why were you bonking Luna Largo into the wee hours of the morning?" she asked trying to get a rise out of Alfeo if only to unknot her stomach.

"The Prince doesn't concern himself with your love life," Alfeo replied simply as he put his hand on her shoulder. "Now Buffy this is not a common gesture being awarded you. You are here on my word and whatever you do in the Princes presence will reflect on me," he told her and she gave him her best smile and nodded.

"Let's get this show on the road, huh?" she asked and he nodded back pushing the heavy doors open revealing the dimly lit room. The sharply dressed twins pulled the doors closed behind them as they stopped inside.

The office was massive its entire back wall was lined with monitors showing various locations and in front of them was a simple granite desk free of clutter. The occupant was sitting in a high-backed leather chair facing away from them. The other walls were bare safe for a lone door on one and a large map of the city and parts of the Western Seaboard on the other.

"My Prince," Alfeo said in a respectful tone as he knelt in front of the desk and Buffy followed suite while mentally trying not to giggle.

"Alfeo, my friend. Why so formal today?" a smooth voice filled with authority said and Buffy could see a hand holding a remote. Elegant fingers clicking it as the screens changed on the walls.

"I bring before you my familiar Elisabeth Summers," Alfeo said keeping his tone formal and his head bowed. Buffy glanced at him with an eyebrow raised to high heavens mouthing the words: "Your what now" at him.

"Oh she doesn't like being called that Alfeo," the voice laughed and Buffy saw that images on the screens change to a familiar scene from last night more to the point the scene of her pinning Luna to the wall outside her apartment. On other screens she could see still photographs of herself with Willow and others of Willow in various outfits with various girls. "Then again she is very confused," the voice stated as Buffy felt her blood begin to boil. "And she's certainly nobodies familiar," it chuckled as the wall was taken up by a huge image of her asserting herself on Luna Largo.

Grinding her teeth she tried her best not to just jump to her feet and smash the Prince's desk in half with her bare hands.

"Oh do stand before you break something," the voice said and Alfeo stood up unfurling his tall frame as Buffy almost bounced to her feet, her hands curling into tight fists.

"My Prince we have reason to believe that Victor Largo is behind some of the unrest in the city," Alfeo said not missing a beat.

"Oh really? Who found this out?" the voice asked and the screen went back to a rotation mural of recent events in the city as Buffy slowly unclenched her fists.

"I did," she stated firmly not having any of this as Alfeo face showed an odd mixture of horror and pride for his apprentice. He'd not be so foolish as to think his warnings could deter her from being herself. Part of her knew this was probably some kind of test. Heck, she spent enough time around wannabe world destroyers and high school principals to get the gist of how people in power liked to do things.

The chair finished it's overly dramatic slow turn and Buffy came face to face with the Prince Daniel of the Undying. Or in her mind Danny Boy.

He had a slightly weathered look about him sort of like an older Giles, sporting a high intellectual forehead and short cut grey hair. His eyes had that same firm look as Alfeo's, but his were deep icy blue in color and the wire rimmed glasses perched on his nose did not dim their intensity at all. If Luna's eyes had been piercing spears his were cold lasers. The look was slightly offset by the dark purple turtleneck and tailored black suit.

"Oh did you now, young one?" he asked with a raised eyebrow that Buffy could spot from a mile away he must have had plucked and waxed at least once a month.

"Yes Alfie had me read enough of the repots so eventually I started seeing this strange pattern in them," she answered walking up to a map of the city marked with the various factional territories in different colors.

"There is something going on in Largo's territory," she said pointing at the center of the deep purple color marking the Largo holdings in the city.

"We get the most reports from there and then it slowly spirals out from there, growing less and less until we reach the outskirts," she explained drawing a spiral shape with her finger on the map ending with her fingertip pressing on what looked like her name in flowing script. A yellow color highlighted a small section of the city. "Hey this is where my hotel is," she said and studied the map closer. "Alfie you bastard!" she turned around livid and Alfeo held up his hands in mixture of confusion and defense.

"Is there a problem Miss Summers?" Daniel asked with a nod towards Alfeo as he leaned back in his chair clasping his hands in front of his face.

"Yeah there is a problem your highness. I told Alfie he better not be trying to turn me into a productive member of society," she protested and pouted while pointing at the map.

"Oh that it is merely to outline your territory so we could avoid confusion," Alfeo tried to explain as the Prince seemed to be enjoying the show.

Buffy pouted for a bit longer and then her face broke into a huge grin. "Gotcha!" she laughed and for a moment Alfeo looked like he was ready to walk into the sea and never look back. Gathering himself he moved to stand beside his employer at almost rigid attention.

"I like this one old friend, her questionable choice in bedmates none withstanding," Daniel said with his enjoyment of his sheriff's troubles with his protégé very clear in his voice. As Buffy shot him a dirty look and poked her tongue out at him.

"Bite me," she joked as she started wandering about the room.

"Don't tempt me, you'd make a wonderful member of our clan," Daniel said without a hint of humor. His moods turning on a dime it seemed. Buffy glared at him and Alfeo cleared his throat in what Buffy guessed was a rare show of disagreement.

"Right no more offering eternal youth to you," the Prince grinned and made a show of drawing a line over something on a piece of paper.

"So what's the plan Big Boss Man? Do we try my ideas into play or what? Because I could just totally go over there right now and stake Largo," she said leaning on the desk with his hands balled into fists.

"My dear you can't just up and stake a member of the council," he explained. "As fun as that might be, but yes your plans," he added with a grin holding up his hand and Alfeo handed him the handwritten piece of paper Buffy had given him in the limo.

Adjusting his glasses he read through the items on the list, his eyes growing slightly wider. Sometimes he'd glance up at her and she'd just smile winsomely back at him. "You my girl are dangerous," he praised her once he was finished putting down the paper and she did a little curtsey in front of the desk. "Rude but dangerous," he added.

The Prince seemed to be in his element now yet all the time she could feel him studying her and in turn she tried to make sense of the Prince. He was smart of that there was no mistake, but the way he seemed to swing between friendly banter and firm commands worried her. Yet Alfeo seemed to trust the guy and in all fairness he wasn't so bad. Blunt yes, but probably just spent too much time down here. Still she was starting to suspect it was all an act and two could play that game. So she put on her best Valley Girl act which at least made this a very long meeting for Alfeo.

Daniel grinned as Buffy flashed her beaming smile to outline how she planned to destabilize Largo's power base. "Now most of his lieutenants could be persuaded quite easily. We have Spike show up and scare them, then I swoop in and save them. Hint at this being their boss' fault," she explained and twirled her sleek stake handle in her hand.

"What about having somebody on the inside?" Alfeo asked taking notes as they hammered out a plan of attack.

"I could try Luna or Alfeo here could pay her a visit," Buffy grinned and winked at Alfeo while Daniel chuckled.

"No, I think we should leave the close family out of it," Daniel said. "Luna Largo is a dangerous girl and any hold on her would be weak at best," he explained and Buffy could see his eyes harden.

"Fair enough, Luna is out. But who do we push as Victor's replacement?" Buffy asked and glanced over at the map on the wall. "Or we just going to break up his territory?" she asked as Alfeo smiled.

"Not a bad idea, split it up between his lieutenants and what about Luna?" Daniel asked and studied Buffy as she walked up to the map clicking her pen and she started to break up the Largo territory.

"Well I own this bit right?" she asked pointing at her small section of the city with pen.

"In theory yes," Daniel answered in a suspicious sounding voice

"I'm no undying, how about we offer Luna control of my territory?" she asked. "After we turn Largo's people against him," she added as both Daniel and Alfeo raised their eyebrows at her idea

"And you are sure that you are not just being soft on your lover?" Daniel asked bluntly and Buffy turned at him glaring.

"Look she's not my lover, my girlfriend or anything else, got it!" she said firmly not caring if this guy was a thousand years old or signing her paychecks.

"Got it," he grinned back at her leaning back in his chair, almost seeming to enjoy having her angrily argue back at him. "We'll approach Luna after the plan has been set in motion," he told her and then leaned forward again as then went into the nitty gritty details of how to best turn each of Victor's allies against him.

Much later Buffy found herself wandering towards Luna's apartment after her shift with Alfeo ended. She had apologized for going all confrontational around the Prince as she knew her boss had patience but it was finite. Still the Prince had not been what she had expected. At times during their planning session he'd seemed almost normal, polite and downright funny sometimes. But she'd seen glimpses of a ruthless intellect lurking behind the smooth exterior and she'd gotten that distinct feeling she was being tested and judged.

Reaching into her jacket and making sure her stakes where there just in case, she then pulled out Luna's card with the word 'Anytime' elegantly written across it instead.

Sighing out loud she stopped and fingered the card slowly, feeling the raised letterings. What the hell are you doing girl? She thought to herself. You promised Willow you'd wait for her to sort herself out then you go and do something stupid like this. Looking up she found herself outside the upscale apartment building Luna called home, staring up at the windows she kept thinking about the night before.

Daniel and Alfeo thought that Luna would just come around after they'd gleefully dissemble her brother's empire. Buffy knew better. She knew that the undying temptress would not go quietly, so she was there to make sure when the time came Luna Largo would answer to her.

She just knew that if she was going to stop whatever was going in the city before it got out of hand, she needed to have Luna Largo on her side. By any means necessary. Her brother was stirring the pot somehow and taking him down would require an insider.

"My oh my, Slayer this is rich!" a very familiar cocky British voice said from behind her causing her to spin around and punch Spike in the face, sending the vampire straight on his accented ass.

"Shut up Spike. I thought you were on duty," she almost spat at him as he wiped the blood from his burst lip and mockingly looked up at her.

"Swapped with Giles and oh no not a chance of that pet. Here you had us all believing you were this darling princess waiting for Red to sort out her mess. Yet now look at you. Staring up at some undying slags window," he laughed and smoothly jumped to his feet.

"Jealous?" she shot back at him and grinned when she saw she'd hit a nerve. "Oh Spike you're soft on her aren't you?" she asked causing the vampire to try to pull a non-caring expression but failing rather miserably.

"Don't know what you're talking about," the cocky vampire said turning away.

"No you don't, you can't come here calling me a slag or whatever and then walk away," Buffy angrily said and spun the vampire around. "Just what is your deal Spike uh? No soul that we know off, world was saved months ago, so why you still here if not for some silly crush on Willow?" she demanded the jealously and shame at what she had been about to do, before Spike had interrupted her, was clear in her voice.

She knew she was already close to messing things up with Willow before they even truly began and she didn't need Spike sniffing around. This needed to be done and she sure as hell didn't need Spike playing Jiminy Cricket to her or carrying a torch for Willow either.

"None of your business Slayer, you just be glad I care about Red enough to be on your side and leave it at that," he growled at her flashing his game face to drive home the point. Leaving out the little fact that the witch scared the living daylights out of him and had bullied him into assisting them, but he wasn't going to let the Slayer know that. All he knew is that if Willow ever found out about this the results would be bad for everybody. Especially for him if Willow would blame him for letting Buffy get in over her head.

"No, no, I won't be having any more of these dubious allies crap! I've got enough problems. So you either tell me or I beat it out of you," she said tightening and raising her fists in front of her face.

"Look pet I won't fight you in the street like some common…" he said and then without warning punched at her. Hoping perhaps to knock some sense into the blonde girl, that had become too entangled in the power struggles of the city's undying clans.

Buffy almost ducked away from the haymaker of a punch Spike threw at her. Her speed not enough though as it connected with her face sending blood spraying from her lips and nose. She staggered for a few moments before gaining her footing. Wiping away the blood she spat some out at his feet and then lunged for his midsection like a rage fueled boxer. Rapidly punched him in the kidneys before upper-cutting him and then following through with a roundhouse kicked that sent him flying backwards.

"Ruthless are we Slayer? I like it, but will Red?" he teased her jumping to his feet with his coat flapping behind him and they started circling each other both of them with blood running down their chins. "Or weren't you planning on telling her about your little undying bit on the side?" he asked.

Buffy felt something deep inside snap, her dealings with the undying, her promise to Willow to wait, the sickening pleasure she'd taken from dominating Luna and how she'd found herself outside the woman's home again with a plan to do even worse. Lunging at Spike with speed the vampire hadn't seen from the Slayer before.

"You…. Don't… have… the right… to talk… about Willow," she snarled as she so savagely laid into him that he staggered backwards, blood running from his nose and lip. "You don't know anything!" she shouted at him as she jumped on him, pinning him to the ground.

"You are the soulless bastard," she spat while laying into his face with left and right punches. "You don't get to care about Willow you hear me, you don't!" she shouted and pulled him up by the front of his bloodied shirt, their faces almost touching. Her blood dripping onto Spike's face and he to his credit didn't go for a taste. Then he started chuckling and it broke into a full blown guttural laugh.

"Hey stop that!" she said as she slammed him back onto the street so hard he bounced and got off him. Watching him laughing manically as he struggled to his feet. "I said stop it!" she shouted so loud that it hurt his ears and made her throat sore.

"Oh Slayer… this is just too rich… nothing I ever did could break you, nothing anybody did could break you. It's what I always liked about you, but all it took was the little witch and now… now we see the real you," he chuckled and threw her a mock salute. "Watch yourself, pet, you're on a dark road here," he told her as he started to walk away from the dumbstruck Slayer.

"What does that even mean? Dark road, I'm still the good guy here you're just…" she shouted after him and he turned around with a bloodied grin on his face.

"The good guys don't beat their allies senseless because they think they're going to steal the girl pet," he said back at her before vanishing into the night. Leaving Buffy staring in horror down at her bloodied hands and then she looked up at Luna's window. Time to get this over and done with she thought.

Closing her eyes tightly and trying to force out a few tears which came surprisingly easy. She put on her best I'm so sad face. She wiped away the worst of the blood on her face, a small trickle now running down from the corner of her mouth. She got some dirt and smeared it on her cheeks. Clenching her fists to make a bit more blood flow from the torn knuckles she got ready to ensure Luna's support.

There was a knock on the door and Luna pulled her robe around her petite frame before getting it. Opening the door she saw Buffy with dirt on her face, tears streaming down her cheeks and her fists bloodied and bruised.

Wordlessly she stepped aside for the girl. Then she felt the bloodied hands on her face and her nostrils flared at the smell, a mixture of Buffy's and some vampire's blood. The Slayer kept looking sad and lost while she stared at her with wide tear wet eyes. The girl's lips and chin were red with blood and Luna fought to try to keep herself in check. Her pupils narrowed down to black pinpricks, her eyes were icy blue and her fangs painfully poked her lower lip.

Taking the girl's hands in hers with red marks on her pale face she started to slowly lick the blood away, her tongue gliding over the torn skin of Buffy's knuckles. The licks became greedier and soon she was moaning at the sweet taste and Buffy started smirking almost evilly. The sad act had gotten her in the door. Now it was time to get down to business. Something in the back of her mind told her that this was something a vampire would do.

"That's it… who do you obey?" she asked in a purring voice and she got her reply in a meek shaking voice as Luna could barely stop licking the blood of the Slayer's fingers.

"You… Slayer…" Luna managed to breathlessly reply before hungrily going for Buffy's fingers again. Her pale lips red with blood and her pale cheeks sporting red fingerprints and streaks.

Grinning Buffy used her bloodied hands like a lure to guide the undying to the bedroom. She wasn't going to let Spike or her conscience get in the way of her plan. This was for Willow's sake. If there was as full scale war between the various factions she knew Willow would be in the middle of it. She'd do anything to protect Willow and that meant sticking with her plan, too bad Alfie and Danny Boy had no idea about this part. Yet.

Across town Willow sat in her room, her legs crossed and her arms and shoulders relaxed. Focusing her mind inward she tried to calm the raging tempest of magic within her. Thinking of Buffy and herself kissing she felt the magic surge, but she managed to push it back.

Holding her hands in front of her she started forming a small glowing green ball between them. The magic seemed to flow out of her chest in pretty green ribbons of light until it was gathered in a crackling ball floating between her palms. Slowly opening her eyes that were now almost their normal color she stared into the swirling green ball.

"Not so hard," she muttered feeling a drop of sweat running down her nose as she started manipulating the orb around with her fingertips. Sparks jumped from the orb of green energy into her fingers, but she didn't flinch.

"I'm not scared of you," she said firmly at it and started to pull it into ribbons between her fingertips.

"I am in control. I accept the power given to me. I acknowledge what my heart desires," she repeated her mantra to herself a few times.

It had been easy really. Once Giles had told her that this entire huge mess had come about as the result of some spell cast way back when, well it sort of all fell into place. Spells she could understand and that had helped her to pinpoint the source of her surging powers.

"My heart desires…" she mumbled with a silly grin on her face, closing her eyes and spinning the green energy ribbons above her head. "My heart… desires…" she trailed of as the images of Buffy melted away. Only to be replaced by images of death, rivers of blood, of Buffy dead on a stone slab, Giles telling her it's all her fault for taking so long. That if she'd just come back in time.

The vision cut off before she could hear the rest. Her control of the green tendrils of magic faded and like a viper they angrily slammed back into her chest. She twitched and her eyes started glowing green again.

"Come back in time for what?" she gasped she felt the energy surge inside her again as she got to her feet. "In time for what?" she shouted with her head turned skywards. "Lily!" she yelled. "Could really use a surprise visit right about now!" she bellowed, but her mentor didn't come only Emily poked her head into the room.

"Willow… you're sort of scaring us all…" she stammered and her eyes were wide. "Is everything alright?" she asked slowly walking towards the shaking red head wrapping her slender arms around her in a supportive hug.

"Emily…. You shouldn't be…" Willow muttered and felt her arms go around the younger witch.

"Shush you'd never hurt me right?" the girl asked looking up at her with so much trust in her eyes that Willow gulped.

"No never…" she admitted and hugged the girl back, feeling small hands rubbing her back.

"Don't worry I'm sure your Slayer will be alright. You've always said she's smart like you but just doesn't show it right?" Emily whispered and Willow nodded her head against the girl's shoulder.

"Yeah you're right. Buffy won't do anything stupid," she admitted and let the girl lead her to the kitchen for some much needed chocolate comfort.

Meanwhile in Luna's apartment Buffy was letting her friend she'd proclaimed she loved down in a lot of ways. She was topless and pinning Luna down to the bed with her fingerprints in blood all over the woman's pale skin. Her white teeth usually reserved for her beaming smile at the undying woman's neck nibbling at the pale skin teasingly. Each place she'd kissed got marked with a faint bloody imprint of her lips and there were a lot of those now covering Luna's neck, shoulders and breasts.

The undying woman was sprawled out underneath the Slayer. Her robe flung wide open exposing her pale skin to the blonde girl's exploring fingers and lips. Luna felt the maddening soft lips leave her skin and she found herself looking straight into Buffy's eyes. She tried but failed to assert her will on the younger woman and all she got for her efforts was a sweet giggle ringing in her ears. Luna Largo in that moment gave in completely.

Buffy had in fact felt the familiar pressure at the back of her skull, but it was only for a second or so before she was able to shut it out. Yet in that moment it took her to beat back Luna's last ditch attempt to assert herself. The Slayer had a moment of clarity. Time seemed to slow down and to the drumbeat of her heart Buffy saw it all. The blood, her blood, all over Luna's face and lips, while feeling the same blood pumping through her veins.

Feeling excited and turned on and sick and disgusted with herself all at the same time. What have I become? Buffy thought to herself and then the feeling of power and control washed over like a tidal wave.

Knowing this had to be done for Willow's sake, for Giles' sake and for anybody that would get caught up in this stupid war for control if it got out of hand. Buffy locked away that part of her that cared about Luna the person she broke out into a sweet giggle.

"That was cute Luna. Now who…" she purred into the Luna's ear breaking eye contact after teasingly allowing her to try to use her little domination trick. "Do you…" she went on pulling at an earlobe with her teeth while her bloodied hand pinned Luna's arms above her head in grip of steel. "Obey?" she asked sucking greedily at her nape of Luna's neck with her free hand gliding down a pale smooth stomach.

"You…" came a strained reply from the undying temptress followed by the sound of tearing lace. "Please… no… more… please…." It came out in an almost whimper and then her body tensed before she relaxed with a deep moan. Buffy let go of Luna's wrists and pressed a bloody finger to her pale lips as a reward.

"Good vampire," the Slayer chuckled so engrossed in her task that her usually sensitive ears didn't pick up on the movement outside the apartment. By the time she heard the door being broken in and it was all too late. Her plan had been good, but as it would turn out somebody had been planning for much longer. A sinister plan that now called for the stopping Alfeo's latest protégé from turning Luna to her side. By any means.

**To be Continued…**

_The Author just can't seem to shut-up: So how does The Fall of Buffy Summers sound eh? This is so far of what I did in the original story that I might just retile this now. But man I'm having a lot of fun with this._


	10. Chapter 9: The Embraced Summer

_The Author Speaks: Right to those reading I'm so sorry for what happens in this chapter. Please don't hate my guts I will make it all better soon._

**Chapter 9: The Embraced Summer**

Luna staggered to the phone and dialed the memorized number. Her apartment was like a warzone. Holes punched in walls, furniture either overturned or smashed. With hands shaking and soaked in blood she waited as the phone rang all the time she glancing at the bedroom.

"Alfeo here what is the problem?" was the answer as she struggled to breath. "Miss Largo? What is the matter?" Alfeo asked over the line.

"Alfredo if this was your doing..." Luna snarled into the phone, blood dripping down her arm. She felt some of the blood induced fog lifting from her mind. It was so hard to think with all the blood. The undying had made a habit out of drinking the substitute provided by the Elders, but the brewed amber liquid didn't hold a candle to actual warm fresh blood. So upon consuming the Red Stuff as blood was commonly called most undying would enter a drunken state of euphoria. Add to that it had come from a being like the Slayer and it might explain why she wasn't seeing straight.

"Miss Largo I assure you that I have not issued any orders regarding you," Alfeo tried to reassure her over the phone and she closed her eyes tightly, the smell of the blonde girl's blood was strong.

"Oh it doesn't matter!" she shouted in a feral voice into the phone. "Just rush your men over here now!"

She hung up the phone and stepped over the body on the floor, a piece of her kitchen table sticking out of the man's back. Stepping silently into the bedroom she felt the wind blowing in through the broken window.

She pushed another body into the corner with her foot. On the bed lay the Slayer, taking in breaths in shallow gasps. A bloody piece of wood lay on the bedside table and Buffy's shoulder was heavily bandaged in torn bed sheets.

"Alfeo is on his way, girl," Luna whispered as she looked down at the beaten and bruised blonde girl.

"Don´t tell... her... don't tell Willow…" Buffy managed to groan out as Luna gently knelt at the side of the bed. "We... screwed... up," the Slayer managed to say before her eyes fluttered closed. Hurriedly checking the girl for a pulse she found it very weak. Looking about the room she wondered who had ordered the attack and if it had been to eliminate her, Buffy or both of them.

The Slayer had jumped into action without hesitation before their silent assassins could make their malicious intend clear.

Glancing over at the broken window the bloodied slayer had hurled one of the black dressed assailants through it. It had been a wonder to behold and she'd forced their attackers out of the room trying to separate them from her undying lover. Luna herself hadn't been able to offer much assistance being too drunk on Buffy's blood to even see straight.

She'd heard the living room and kitchen being broken apart. More crashing and breaking of furniture as the Slayer turned every piece of wood into a makeshift weapon evident by the violently staked and broken bodies littering her apartment.

Then there had been silence and she'd stayed still for the longest time waiting for her fate. The door had opened and she remembered pulling the sheets around her naked body. It had been the Slayer staggering into the room, a makeshift stake rammed clean through her shoulder, her face bloodied, her arm pulled against her body. Luna had been barely able to grab the girl before she collapsed.

Now checking the girl for a pulse she found it was fading faster and faster. She'd tended to the girls wounds the best she could, but the damage had been too great. Seeing only one way out, she tried to wake the girl. Rubbing her cheek gently and then slapping it.

"Buffy wake up," she whispered and the girls eyes fluttered open and she gasped. "You're dying," Luna whispered and the girl nodded her head seeming reassigned to it.

"You don't have to die though," she whispered and Buffy shook her head as forcefully as she could.

"If you die here... you will never be able to tell her how you feel," Luna murmured into Buffy's ear and the Slayer's eyes started tearing up. "If you die here so much will be left unsaid," she went on and brought her own wrist to her mouth.

"I've already had your blood," Luna whispered and bit into her wrist, opening it up and starting the flow of blood. "So you just have to drink of mine and sleep," she said and brought her bleeding wrist to Buffy's broken lips.

"No..." Buffy muttered trying to force the bloodied wrist away from her face.

"Think about Willow, think about her and drink," the undying leant down and whispered into the Slayer's ear.

"No!" the Slayer managed to say a bit louder pushing the undying of her with all the force see could muster.

"Come now Slayer. Is this how you want it to end?" Luna asked stroking the girl's cheek lovingly. "Run through and left to die like some common vampire?" she quizzed her in a low seductive voice.

"Will... Willow..." Buffy gasped out as she started to feel so cold, her fingernails clawing at the bed.

"Yes do it for Willow," Luna almost purred as she cupped Buffy's face with bloodied hands with icy blue eyes staring into the fading light of the Buffy's dim orbs. "Just a few drops and you'll sleep," she whispered and felt the Slayer weakly take hold of her arm.

"That's it. Accept the gift, accept it and become something greater," the undying kept on tempting her, feeling the Slayer's hot breath on her skin.

"Willow… I'm so sorry," Buffy whimpered and tears started rolling down her cheeks. "Mom, Giles, Xander I'm so sorry..." she sobbed and grabbed Luna's offered wrist, sucking weakling at it at first then more greedily.

"By the heavens," Luna moaned as her eyes went wide the girl's fingers where crushing her arm as she felt the strength of her.

Buffy felt the iron taste of Luna's blood on her tongue, images of Willow swirled in her head as she accepted the woman's embrace.

She felt everything start to fade away and then her world went dark. Was this it? Had it all been for naught? Willow I'm so sorry was her last thought and the world went dark.

Luna crossed Buffy's arms across her chest. Wrapping her wrist up in strip torn of the bed sheets she waited. A few minutes later Alfeo, flanked by his ever-present guards, burst into the room. Taking one look at the scene in front of him his cold eyes fell on Luna accusingly.

"Miss Largo what have you done?" he asked flatly as the twins went to check on the Slayer.

"I did what had to be done Alfredo," she replied in the same flat tone.

Alfeo looked at the prone Slayer, she was still and pale. Looking every bit as if she'd left this world, but he knew better. If he was totally honest about he had always suspected it would end up this way. Just hadn't expected it to happen so soon and this violently.

"Who attacked you?" he asked as the two ever present guards went about wrapped Buffy's body up in sheets to carry her to the limo.

"They didn't say and they wore black from head to toe. But I'm sure somebody wanted to stop Buffy from... acquiring my loyalty," Luna explained looked at the men wrapping up Buffy's still body. Alfeo raised an eyebrow at just how Buffy had been acquiring Luna's loyalty. "What happens now?" she asked.

"You work for her now," he stated and Luna nodded her head. "She will wake up in a day's time and you will explain to her why you embraced her and then you will see if she lets you life or not," he said and handed Luna his coat. "Now come there is much to do and the Prince must be made aware of what has happened."

"Alright what in God's name is going on here?" Giles demanded bursting in through the door. Alfeo had instructed him to stay in the limo while he dealt with this, but the Englishman had suspected that everything was not right.

"Mister Giles…." Alfeo couldn't' get through the rest of the sentence as Giles saw Buffy wrapped up in the sheets, her face ashen and blood on her lips. His eyes went to Luna and he was almost fast enough. Yet Alfeo moved in a blur to stop him even as he drew his obsidian blade and rushed at Luna with the full intend of skewering her on the tip of his sword.

"You will pay for this," he snarled at Luna pointing his sword at her as Alfeo held him back with a firm hand on his shoulder, the undying man's grip was like steel and he didn't even seem to be exerting himself to hold the man back.

"Mister Giles please do not make this worse than it already is," Alfeo pleaded with the enraged Watcher as Luna just coldly stared back at him. Stepping closer she pressed her throat against the tip of his blade, but Alfeo's grip was stronger than the Watcher's rage.

"Go on, I deserve nothing less," she whispered and pressed her skin against the sharp blade. They stayed there for the longest time Giles' rage meeting the cold determination of Luna's eyes. A trickle of blood ran from a small pinprick on her neck down the blade.

"Why?" Giles asked finally lowering the blade to the ground and turned to look at Buffy, pale as porcelain aside from her bloodstained lips and the red finger marks on her cheeks

"She… I offered to embrace her and all she said was Willow," Luna lied while casting her eyes away from the enraged man. "She… didn't want to leave this world without telling her friend something very important," she said softly trying her best to make what had happened sound as dignified as possible, for the Watcher's sake if not for her own.

Biting back both his tears and his rage Giles' shoulders visibly shook as he sheathed his sword and turn to face Alfeo and Luna who had somehow managed to get behind the undying enforcer.

"How long?" he asked walking over to the bed and lovingly pushing Buffy's blonde hair out of her face. When no reply came he said again in a much firmer tone. "How long until she's one of you?"

"The transformation usually takes a day or so, by sunset tomorrow she will be one of us," Alfeo explained in a flat voice. Trying to remain neutral as this was not what he had planned for the girl either.

"I've read those texts you provided, she will have a soul yes?" Giles asked and stood up, looking at Alfeo with a dangerous look in his eyes.

"She will be the same as you've always known her to be," he explained and the look Giles was given him grew even darker.

"How minor?" he asked and started going for his sword again.

"Nothing as dramatic as with our demonic cousins, there will be the need for blood of course, but we have a solution for that. She'll be more attuned to herself and her surroundings, but perhaps most importantly she'll feel more focused. Just wait and…" Alfeo didn't get to finish his sentence when his cell phone rang. "One second," he apologized and pulled out the phone. "Alfeo here," he answered and then his face grew darker. "Slow down William what has happened… oh my… I will be there right away," he hung up.

"Mister Giles I will explain everything soon as I can, now I need you to go with Luna and guard Buffy until she awakens," he said sounding all business and turned and whispered something to the Wonder Twins that nodded their heads as they gathered up Buffy's wrapped up form.

"Why, what has happened?" Giles asked still trying to process everything that was going.

"There has been an attack on one of the Prince´s dwellings and there is no delicate way to put this, the Prince seems to be gone," Alfeo said. "With the Prince gone it will be open season among the six clans and whoever else things they have the balls to run the city. Buffy had the right idea, we were just too late," he explained.

"I'm staying with her?" Giles asked with disgust looking at Luna and Alfeo just nodded as the guards carrying Buffy out to the car with Giles trailing behind leaving just Luna and Alfeo in the broken apartment.

"You didn't have to lie to him," Luna said accusingly at the tall man as she buttoned his coat around her petite frame.

"Would you have me tell him the full details of what she is about to suffer? You think you would have walked out of here if I told him how much it will test her?" he asked and Luna remembering the man's cold fury shook her head. "I thought so. Now go make sure that this does not turn into a bigger mess. I have got to go see what has happened to the Prince," he stated and swept out the room leaving Luna alone among the broken bodies of her assailants.

* * *

><p>Daniel sat behind the desk in his study sipping the amber liquid from a teacup and reading the latest reports on Miss Summers and her cohorts. Studying the cup for a bit he wondered if it was perhaps time to find a better name for this stuff than Synthetic Blood Replacement Serum. Amber Nectar had a nice ring to it. Shaking his head he focused back on the reports.<p>

He had been suitably impressed with the young spitfire earlier and her mind was extremely sharp. Pulling out a picture of the girl he wondered again what sort of undying she would make. He then pulled out a picture of her friend Willow in the company of other young women and thought that the effort of embracing Buffy might not be worth upsetting the witches in the city. Reading over Alfeo's detailed report of the relationship between the two girls he couldn't help but to sigh.

Taking of his glasses and putting them in their case he pinched the bridge of his nose. Quietly wishing for different times when teenage drama didn't make up for quite so much of his daily reading. Can't she just give her parents a few goats and be done with it, or don't they do that anymore? He thought to himself.

Looking at the picture of the red headed witch again noting that girl was very pretty and seemed to just ooze that sort of innocent charm. He mentally added to make that a lot of goats. Taking another sip of his cup a loud explosion rocked the mansion. Giving a sigh of other what now he put the cup down and stood up.

"My Prince we're under attack!" one of his servants shouted running into the room. The man got maybe three steps into the study before falling down with a large hole blasted in the center of his chest.

Looking over his desk at the body sprawled out in front of it he then gripped the edge of it tightly. "What is the meaning of this?" he asked in calm voice, looking down the barrels of several highly powered weapons aimed at him.

"You are to come with us," was the muffled reply from behind one of the masks and the Prince just grinned at them. Counting the numbers against him, six in the room, probably more spread out around the house.

"And what if I resist?" he asked and before the words had left his lips he flipped his desk at them like it was no more than a child's toy. The heavy oaken desk slammed into his would be attackers. Scattering them around the room while two were left pinned under it. Then he was on them striking the first man to scramble to face square in the chest sending him flying back and crashing into bookcase that then swayed back and forth for a few moments before crashing on top of him.

Picking up two of his attackers he hurled them into the walls with a sickening thud and then as he was flying at the fourth man with fangs out about to tear the man's throat out. He felt something hit the back of his neck. His icy blue eye went wide and with a spasm he crashed into an undignified heap on the floor.

"Oh Daniel, Daniel, Daniel so old fashioned," a mocking voice said as more and more men flooded into the study, holding him down as he tried to fight to his feet, his vision blurry and he could feel a dart sticking out of his neck.

"I know that voice," he said with his voice starting to slur. "Only one of my children could be as pompous and arrogant to try something like this," he spat at the feet of Victor Largo who was holding a tranquilizer gun in one hand while checking his nails on the other. He then casually shot him three more times in the leg causing the Prince to hiss out in pain the darts sticking out of his thigh pumping even more the specially created sedatives into his body.

"Oh just admit it old man you've been outfought, as we speak my men are also taking care of your latest pet that Buffy girl and my darling sister," Largo laughed and knelt in front of the held back Prince.

"You wouldn't dare! We don't kill our own," the Prince stated as firmly as he could with the toxic mix of sedatives flowing through his veins, his senses dulling and his strength fading.

"Oh but the little blonde bitch isn't one of us is she? And as for my darling sister, well if she wants to lay with the human mongrels then she can be put down like one," Largo hissed and slapped the Prince across the face, his nails drawing four lines of blood that healed up almost instantly.

"So this is how it's going to be. We're going to put you in a little cell. Because like you said we don't kill our own. Then we're going to have ourselves a nice little war," he went on standing up and checking his nails again as Daniel's struggles grew weaker.

"I've already started the rumor that you were attacked and killed by disgruntled elements of the other factions. Oh it will be glorious," Largo laughed. "When this city is awash with blood you will see, they will all see that I was right," he growled and kicked the Prince square in the stomach, causing him to double over and then just to be sure he shot him one more time in the shoulder for good measure. "Get him out of here and blow the place up," he ordered his men before sweeping out of the study with Daniel being carried out behind him.

Not much time thereafter Alfeo climbed the hill that overlooked the Prince's estate on the outskirts of town. It was at times like this he wished he was still just a farmer back in the homeland. Spike, with his face mostly healed from Buffy's pounding of it earlier in the night, walked up next to him. The mansion was on fire in places and fire engines where pouring in from all around the city.

"How did this happen?"Alfeo asked the vampire who move his jaw with a loud crack before speaking.

"Well after the Slayer decided to rearrange my good looks I got approached by some poofs claiming that they were sticking it to the man tonight," Spike explained. "Took me a few hours to track down what was going on, but by the time I had beaten the full story out of enough fellows. This place was already on fire."

A loud explosion rocked the ground and a fireball rose up into the night air. Then another explosion could be heard and another shattering the mansion.

"Fail safe systems, removing all traces of our presence," Alfeo explained as Spike shielded his eyes from the light.

"Bloody hell you guys don't do anything half-arsed do you?" he asked sounding suitably impressed.

"No we don't William, no we don't, now where is the Prince?" Alfeo asked and turned away from the explosion walking back to his waiting car with the vampire following.

"No idea mate, when I got here there was a full blown battle going on and then shite started exploding," Spike answered as they both got into the car. "Thought you would know best aren't you always in communication with him?"

"I have been otherwise occupied tonight," Alfeo answered as the driver started driving out of the city.

"Oh did the Slayer cause trouble?" Spike asked with a sly grin on his face.

"Like you would not believe William, like you would not believe," Alfeo answered and poured himself a large glass of the dark amber liquid. "Let me just say this: We are all cousins now," he saluted Spike in a morbid tone of voice and drained the glass before angrily smashing it against the floor of the limo.

"Oh bloody hell what's the girl done this time," Spike cursed to himself, grabbed the entire bottle of the amber liquid and drained it. "Red is gonna have my bait and tackle for this, I just know it," he muttered as they drove towards Alfeo's country estate.

* * *

><p>Buffy's body was laid out on a bed made up with white soft linen, her arms were grossed over her chest and Luna had dressed her in a simple white sundress. She looked angelic almost and peaceful.<p>

Giles sat half asleep in a chair by the bed as the undying tended to her. Her wrist bandaged and her icy blue eyes studied the girl's still form. She had made plans to embrace the girl, but not like this, not without years of preparation and certainly not by using guilt and fear.

It had been fun leading her on, letting her think that she was in control. Poor little thing so naïve about sex and power games, but she had to give the Slayer credit. The plan had been good and if it had been a younger undying it might even have worked. Licking her lips without realizing she thought about how sweet the girl's blood had tasted. Oh yes it would have been more then worked on somebody younger and sillier. But Luna was neither young nor silly despite appearances.

"She's going to kill you," Giles said without opening his eyes, his sword across his lap.

"Excuse me?" Luna asked having thought the Watcher was asleep.

"When she wakes up she's going to tear you apart," Giles stated simply and got comfortable again on the chair.

"We'll see about that. What surprises me Rupert is that you haven't done it yourself," Luna unable to resist herself slinked up to the man and whispered into his ear. "Afraid you'll like it?" Turning away from her Giles frowned and cross his arms in front of his chest.

"Oh did I strike a nerve?" Luna giggled and found herself roughly pushed away.

"Is this how you got to her?" Giles asked standing up, pulling of his coat and cracking his knuckles.

"Are you going to try to make me submit too Rupert?" Luna asked and smiled at him sweetly. "Because I don't think you've got her talents," she added and winked at him.

"I'm not going to try anything. What I am going to do is beat you bloody senseless and then leave you staked to the wall as a gift for her," Giles grinned at her his accent shifting noticeably and Luna barely managed to dodge the punch her threw at her.

"So much for… the old world charms," she grunted already weakened from having given her blood to embrace Buffy.

"I've got charms my dear just not for you," he grunted and swung for the undying temptress again, this time catching her on the shoulder and sending her sprawling to the floor. Luna lay on the floor as Giles walked over her and gave a quick sharp kick to her ribs. "On your feet vampire or is this how you do your work? On your back?" he asked the malice for the woman clear in his voice.

"Oh that wasn't very nice!" she spat and kicked him square in the crown jewels causing him to double over then she smoothly got to her feet and with a double fisted blow across the back sent him to the floor. "Now I could stake you to the wall and leave you for her to feed on," Luna said and kicked him in the ribs for good measure. "But she's sort of soft on you, so I am not going to," she added and walked over to the bed while Giles got his feet.

"You can't have her," he said with a groan as he steadied himself against the wall.

"Oh my dear, I don't plan on having her. I gave her a choice, nothing more nothing less" Luna snorted and again brushed Buffy's blond hair with her fingers. Rushing at her she just held out her arm and caught the grief stricken Watcher by the throat. "Sit down before you hurt yourself Rupert," she told him and pushed him back into his chair.

"Now you're going to sit there and listen very carefully," she went on and leaned down to listen for any sign of life in the Slayer. "She's going to wake up soon. She will be confused, angry and hungry," she explained. "It will be best if you're not here when that happens and it's also best that we not beat each other senseless. Last thing she needs is to see me holding your head as a welcome to eternity gift," Luna sweetly threatened the watcher. "Look Rupert there is nothing you can do to change what has happened," she added.

"It is my duty to protect and guide her," he replied seeming to have calmed down somewhat after taking out his frustrations on Luna.

"It is still your duty, just now you don't have to worry about her dying," Luna smiled at him and his face soured. "Sorry I do that sometimes, say the wrong thing," she apologized.

"I think you used to be a lot like her, didn't you?" Giles asked and Luna's eyes went a bit wide, almost if she was remembering something from a long time ago. Before Giles could probe her further on the subject there was a loud gasp.

Buffy Summers was waking up to her new life her body convulsing and her fingers digging into the mattress and her now icy blue eyes wide open and staring into space.

"Willow!" she howled at the top of her lungs as Luna and Giles both rushed to her side trying to stop her from harming herself. "Willow!" she yelled again her mouth twisted wide open as pearly white fangs pushed their way down. "Willow I'm sorry!" rang through the house.

Willow at that moment lay in the living room of the coven's house resting her head on Emily's lap who was stroking her red hair. They were watching some horrible romantic comedy and just enjoying things being quiet. Like always Emily with her saint-like patience listened to Willow babble on about her magic and most importantly Buffy.

"So you think you're ready?" Emily asked playing with a silver grey lock of Willow's hair. "I mean you've been practicing a lot," she added.

"I… I think I am, I mean that vision was just so nasty and I'm starting to miss her you know," Willow sheepishly admitted as he let the younger girl play with her hair.

"That's… that's good," Emily stammered a little twirling the lock she was playing with absentmindedly. "Just remember visions don't always turn out like we think they will nor do their events happen right away," she reminded Willow almost quoting word by word from the books.

"Emily…. I'm sorry. You know, about - well, Buffy and stuff," Willow apologized as she rolled over so she was looking straight up at the sweet girl who had become her close friend over the past few weeks.

"It's okay… I mean I know you and her are like meant to be but it would have been nice just to have a chance," Emily gave her a little smile. "As much as I'd like too, though, I'm not the type who likes to get in the way of true love and stuff like that," she added with a little smirk poking the tip of Willow's nose with her finger.

Willow grinned up at the girl and reached up, stroking her face lovingly. "Plus I am way too old for you," she joked. "Grey hairs and all," she added.

"Silvery grey hairs," Emily corrected her and giggled. "And you're not too old and I am glad that you've started to sort yourself out," she said and leaned into Willow's soft palm. "The broody look just wasn't you."

"Just wish I could thank you for how you've been there for me," the red headed witch said softly and then Emily pulled her face away from her hand.

"Just promise me that you won't be a stupid head when you finally get with your Slayer again okay?" Emily said firmly. "Be honest and don't try to well deny that you've had a lot of fun," she went on with a naughty look on her face that caused Willow to blush bright red. "Because if I find out that she thinks you're the Virgin Mary, I will tell her myself!"

The girls stared at each other for a few moments before both breaking into laughter with Willow smacking Emily on the shoulder before settling down into a nice silence again. With Willow stretching out her body and thinking that maybe things would be alright from now on. Yes things would be alright, she's find Buffy soon and they'd talk it all out.

Little did Willow know that Giles and Luna were trying to hold Buffy down as she convulsed on the bed. Her mouth frothing with pink foam and her eyes frozen wide open in fright. "Hold her down!" Luna ordered and pushed the convulsing Slayer back down on the bed with all her strength.

"I thought this was supposed to be easy on her!" Giles shouted angrily over the howls of rage now coming from Buffy as she looked around with bright icy blue eyes, fangs digging into her lower lip.

"You bitch!" she spat at Luna in a hoarse voice. "What did you do to me?" she shouted and hurled Giles away and then wrapped both her hands around Luna's throat, squeezing with all her might. "You think she will ever have me like this?" she yelled as she shook her undying sire like a rag doll.

"Buffy calm down please," Luna tried to reason with the feral Slayer in a strangled voice. Their eyes locking and Luna felt very cold all of a sudden for the girl's eyes were pure frozen hatred. Disgustedly throwing Luna away from herself Buffy tried to get out of the bed, but her legs wouldn't support her so she had to crawl. Crawl to the window, the thick heavy curtains where drawn but she could feel the light. The light would set her free, the light was her friend. Her fevered mind told her.

"Buffy! No!" Luna called out as Buffy pushed her hand into a lone slender beam of light and instantly her flesh started to burn. "No no!" Luna yelled as she rushed over and wrestled the undying Slayer away from the window.

"Let go of me!" Buffy shouted and tried to crawl for the light again. "Giles, Willow, MOM!" She shouted as she kicked and elbowed Luna. "I want my mom!" she whispered in a sob as Luna held her back, stroking her hair.

"Buffy… don't worry we'll find a way…" Giles said as he knelt in front of her, but Buffy turned her face away from him almost in fright.

"Giles don't look at me!" she sobbed and tried to claw at her face, but Luna restrained her again. "I'm one of them now. Don't look at me!" she shouted and started to sob into Luna's chest.

"Rupert I think it would be best if you..." Luna suggestively glanced at the door, knowing what would happen next. The girl was moving through the usual stages of the forcefully embraced rather fast and the next part would not be good for any human around her.

"I am not leaving her alone with you!" Giles said firmly and Buffy's sobs got louder and louder, her entire body shaking. Then they stopped and Buffy raised her head, tears streaking her pale cheeks and her pupils reduced to tiny pinpricks. "Hungry…" she drawled and started sniffing the air.

"Rupert get out of here now," Luna urged the Watcher as Buffy's icy blue eyes hungrily fell on him. "Go now!" Luna shouted as she felt the Slayer start trashing about in her grip, then she broke free lunging at Giles hissing and spitting.

Landing on top of her Watcher with a loud crash she straddled his body while pinning his arms above his head. "Buffy… this isn't you," Giles tried to reason with her as she sniffed at his face and throat.

"Hungry," Buffy almost purred as she licked his neck and bared her fangs, sharp and pearly white. Then Luna's arms wrapped around her and she felt herself being pulled backwards, but in her hunger she managed to shrug the undying woman off.

"Buffy stop this right now!" he told her in a firm voice. "As your Watcher I forbid you from doing this," he went on. "You are my Slayer, you are better than this," he said in his most fatherly voice and then after a very long tense moment her eyes seemed to soften, blinking them a few times she looked down at him.

"Giles?" she asked her voice sounding so lost. "Giles what's happening to me?" she pleaded with him as he wrapped his arms around her. "I'm scared and I want to go home now please," she whispered, into his ear sounding like a scared little girl as he rubbed her back and muttered what he hoped where soothing words into her ears, her now slightly pointy ears.

Somewhere else in a brighter happier place Willow snuggled against Emily as the younger girl pulled a blanket over them. The red headed witch had fallen asleep a bit back leaving the younger witch to finish watching the movie or rather stare at the pretty red head.

Stroking Willow's red hair Emily cursed herself for being so nice. The little green monster inside her kept telling her to stopping being such a martyr. But then Willow murmured Buffy's name so softly and lovingly in her sleep that Emily couldn't help not to smile. The girl had it so bad and she'd been doing so much to make sure that this Buffy girl and her could be together.

"Buffy wherever you are I hope you know how luck you are," Emily whispered towards the ceiling and then added her own little; "Lucky bitch that is," to her message to the mysterious Slayer who seemed to own Willow's heart and soul.

Buffy at that same time was cold and shivering. Huddled in the corner of the room she'd woken up in

. With her knees pulled up to her chest she was finally alone with her thoughts. Giles had finally left when she had told him that his heartbeat was driving her crazy. Luna had gone to talk to Alfeo about something and it was just her now.

Would Willow even look at her now? Why had she let Luna do this to her? Should she just break the bed and stake herself? She thought those things while running her tongue over her new fangs and then she felt her ears with her fingers. They were a bit pointier then they had been. Frowning she wondered to herself what else would change now that she was technically dead.

"Here drink this," a soft voice said. Buffy looked up with her icy blue eyes and saw Luna placing a glass full of blood in front of her.

"I'm…. not drinking that…" Buffy protested in a shaking voice having never felt this weakened before in her live, not even when the Council at poisoned her. "Just give me that… amber… stuff you… guys drink…" she stammered her teeth chattering

"Look you have to drink it. A fledging needs real blood, not some alchemist's creation," Luna told her patiently.

"Oh you are loving this… aren't you," Buffy muttered as she felt herself growing weaker still, her pupils narrowing at the sweet smell of the fresh blood.

"I take no pleasure from this," Luna said firmly. "Yes I had made plans to embrace you, but I would never have done it like this," she explained with her voice softening but Buffy wasn't hearing it. Her eyes fixed on the glass of blood in front of her.

"The urge is strong at first, but it gets easier," Luna explained. "Once you've drunk that you may even see the sun soon," she added as she watched Buffy shakily pick up the glass with both hands, the thick blood sloshing about. Sobbing the girl started crying as she sniffed the blood and almost moaned at the smell.

"I… I…" Buffy stammered bringing the cup to her lips. "I'm not… like… you…" she tried to protest before she started to greedily drink the blood.

"Good girl," Luna whispered watching as the undying Buffy Summers drank her first blood. Little streams of it running out of the corners of her mouth and tears streaming down her face.

**To be continued…**


	11. Chapter 10: A Light in the Darkness

_The Author Speaks: Samz who was kind enough to review mentioned something about the original story that I have to answer: Yes I did in fact NOT embrace Buffy in the original version of this story. It's a case of the current me just loves the story potential and drama that it would entail while the young me just wanted to get to the epilogue sex scene._

_p.s. This is a spotlight the players chapter with some Buffy angst thrown in for good measure._

**Chapter 10: A Light in the Darkness**

She felt so cold walking barefoot around the darkened room that had become her life for the past few days. Feeling the caked blood around her lips and chin she found she didn't care. The white sundress she'd woken up in was torn and bloodstained as well. The last few days she'd swung between brooding depression as the hunger grew and an almost euphoric state of uncaring whenever she'd fed

How long had it been really? Time seemed to move differently now. Luna would come with a glass of blood, she'd struggle and sob and deny it for as long as she could. Last time she'd held out for what felt like hours before giving in to the hunger and greedily drinking the offered blood.

She looked at the window now boarded up tightly after her first few attempts to break through it. The light would set her free. The light would make it all better were thoughts that ran through her fevered mind whenever the hunger got to strong.

Picking up the empty glass from the bedside table she hurled it at the wall taking, small satisfaction from it smashing to pieces. Just like her life was now in pieces. For the hundredth time she thought about how she what they would say. What would her mom say? What Would Willow or Xander or any of her friends say about what she had become? All this just because of promising Willow she'd wait for her.

"Well Willow, you can take all the time you want now," she said, sitting back on the bed, disheartened. She had no clue why they were keeping her here. She'd ordered Giles to just stay away because every time she saw him she felt his blood call out to her. She hadn't seen Alfeo either, leaving her only company to be Luna.

The door opened slowly and she shielded her eyes with her arm as the pale light flooded into the room. The light would set her free and her fractured mind formed a plan.

"I see that you're lucid today," Luna said from the door. "That's good. It always takes the mind time to adjust to the change," she explained walking into the room carrying a fresh glass of blood.

Buffy smelled it right away, but tried to fight the urge. Her fangs tickled her bottom lip and her eyes narrowed. Her now slightly pointy ears twitched.

"Not this again. Please just drink it Buffy," Luna sighed and walked over to the Slayer holding out the glass. "Just a few more days and we can start weaning you onto the Nectar," she said and Buffy shakily took the glass from her.

"I'm not a baby," she protested showing a small flash of her usual self that was quickly shattered as she greedily drank the warm blood.

"In a way you are," Luna said and gently stroked Buffy's blonde hair.

"Don't… touch me…" Buffy stammered in reply. "You don't get to… touch me," she tried to protest as the undying who had embraced her started stroking her face.

"You didn't seem to mind before," Luna whispered and wrapped her arms around the shaking Slayer.

"You did this to me," Buffy protested and tried to push her away. Playing the reluctant pray, making sure her icy blue eyes were wide and frightened.

"I gave you a choice, live or die, Willow or the Reaper," Luna muttered and Buffy noticed she hadn't closed the door this time. Steeling herself, she started kissing the side of Luna's neck, raking her new found fangs over the woman's pale skin.

"Oh- Are we feeling better then?" Luna half moaned as she felt the Slayer's arms wrap around her while she sucked at the soft skin of her neck.

Nodding her head with closed eyes Buffy kissed and sucked at the side of Luna's neck for a while and then her icy blue eyes popped wide open. Biting down hard on the soft skin of the undying girl's neck she felt the spurt of lukewarm blood and sucked greedily.

Luna stiffened as the blonde girl started greedily feeding on her. Trying to push her away she found that she was no match at all for the undying Slayer. Struggling and trying to break free she only felt the grip of the Slayer becoming tighter.

Buffy slurped loudly as she fed on her prey and then with disgust she pushed her away and with speed she hadn't felt before she rushed for the open door. The light would end this. The light would make it all better.

Vaguely aware of Luna crawling to her feet in the room behind her, blood all over the sheets and she could hear the woman gurgle as she tried to talk. No more of this she thought. No more drinking blood and liking it.

She'd had a lot of time to think in that room. While a part of her just wanted to end it all. That was the part of her that was the Slayer. The part of her that hated how she had failed and fallen was in control now and most of the time. It was after all her instinct and her strength. It kept her going if only to find a fitting end to it all.

Still... There was that little voice, the other part of her being. The voice that had willed her to live when she had been drowned by the Master, the voice that had made her stagger back to Luna after being staked, the voice that whispered; "You did this for Willow" until it all she could was to curl up in a ball and sob while drinking the blood offered to her.

She shakily stepped into the light thinking that if it wouldn't kill her it would only make her stronger. Taking what would very well be her last breath she waited and nothing happened. Looking up she saw that the light of salvation turned out just to be ceiling light of the hallway outside her room.

For what felt like the longest time she stood there, shaking with blood dripping down from her chin onto the floor. Now she was mad. Mad for being such a head-case. Mad for turning into a total wreck in the face of adversity. Crying little girls didn't get the job done. The crying little girl didn't get to tell Willow how much she loved her. Was she just going to take this or was she going to do something about it? The little voice asked her.

"No!" she yelled at being denied the easy way out, but it also helped clear her head a little bit.

She started running down the hallway, barely aware of Luna who clutched her neck as she staggered out of the room.

Buffy didn't even look back she turned down the stairs. If she wasn't going to get her clean death a good old fashioned temper tantrum would just have to do.

"Buffy…" Luna tried to shout after her but it came out as a gurgle. "Oh stupid, stupid," she muttered and wiped the blood of her neck before reaching for her cell. "Alfredo… yes I know I sound strange… it's Buffy she's loose in the mansion. Just get over here and bring the Watcher along if you have to," she managed to say into the phone before she heard a loud crash from downstairs. "Oh bother there goes the large mirror in the foray," she muttered offhandedly and then realized her mistake of relaying that bit of information.

Anybody within earshot would have heard Alfeo yell: "What?" over the phone followed by another loud crash from downstairs.

"I'll try to stop her," she blurted out, dropping the phone and hoping she wouldn't be too late to save some of the furniture as she jogged the best she could to the stairs while her bitten necked healed up.

* * *

><p>Said Watcher, Rupert Giles, was taking out his frustrations on the local nightlife with great enthusiasm. The vampire that looked quite a bit like Luna Largo crawled away from him, clutching the stab wound in her stomach. He stalked after her, sword drawn and coat billowing behind him. No glasses on tonight, his hair smoothed down.<p>

"Oh you can do better than that," he mocked the vampire as she clawed to the door of a mausoleum.

"Please… I swear… please… just stop," the vampire girl pleaded clutching her sliced open stomach with her face fading from her demonic appearance and to that of a scared young girl.

Pointing his sword at the girls face with anger almost crackling visibly around him as he stared cold eyed down at the vampire. The girl looked up him with a fear stricken face. She couldn't have been older then eighteen when she was turned. Earlier he'd slaughtered her vampire friends. Leaving them as neat little piles of dust. Then he'd given chase to her in a cat and mouse game that had lasted almost an hour.

Now he had her corned in a graveyard, her short skirt torn, her heels lost somewhere miles away and wide holes ripped in her leggings. Her bare stomach had provided such a nice target to slice into. Feeling a headache coming on, he pinched the bridge of his nose and lowered his sword. The girl started sobbing and he couldn't tell if it was an act or not.

"I want my mom," the girl sobbed and curled up into a ball by the mausoleum wall. "I want my mom," she repeated and Giles face seemed to soften. Sheathing his sword he knelt down by the scared girl, knowing full well that this might be a ploy to draw him in close. He wasn't new to this business by any means.

"Don't worry you'll see her soon enough," he said to the girl rubbing her back, but then slitting a stake out of the sleeve of his coat her swiftly and cleanly staked her in the back. The girl gave a little whimper and exploded into dust with what he would have liked to think was a grateful smile on her face.

"Bloody mess this trip has turned out to be," he said to himself standing up and dusting off the remains of the vampire. "One girl joins a coven and turns into a bloody Casanova. The other gets herself turned," he sighed. Then his phone rang and he rather angrily pulled the offending piece of technology out while cursing about there being no peace anywhere these days. "Giles here," he answered shortly and his face fell slightly. "Yes, yes I'll be there right away, just keep her away from the mirrors," he replied urgently to the man on the other end and broke into a run for where he'd parked the car he had "borrowed" Alfeo's garage.

* * *

><p>Willow woke up startled and gasping for air. Feeling like something was very wrong she fumbled about for the switch on the bedside lamp. Her white thin t-shirt clung to her body as she blinked a few times to adjust to the light. That had been one bad dream, worse than her vision a few days ago. She'd heard Buffy calling out for her and saying that she was so sorry. Rubbing her eyes she almost jumped out of her skin when she saw Lily sitting on the end of her.<p>

"Aahh! Don't do that!" she shouted and gathered her sheets up around her body, rather painfully aware of the clingy nature of her bedclothes. When Lily didn't reply she moved a bit closer, the woman looked like hell. Blood shot eyes and pale skin, her fingers bandaged in white gauze and her usually spotless white dress sporting stains and burn marks.

"Lily… what happened? Has there been trouble?" Willow asked as she saw the woman's chest rise and fall slowly as she was clearly trying to calm down and gather her wits.

"It would seem that we have a war on our hands, little Willow," Lily finally answered and flexed her fingers. "The Undying or at least some of them have decided that they'd rather not share the night with the rest of us," she spat out.

"The girls are they safe?" Willow asked in worry about the dozen other girls sharing the large townhouse with her and training with the coven.

"The girl will be fine as long as they stay within the coven's area," Lily said. "Venture outside it at night and it's clearly open season," she muttered as Willow gently took her mentor's hands in hers.

"Here let me heal those for you," she said with her best smile and started unwrapping Lily's hands.

"You've come such a long way since first joining us Willow," the old witch admitted and then hissed as the gauze pulled at the burned skin. Willow just nodded and started to run her green glowing fingertips over the burnt skin, healing it as they past. "Which makes me loathe asking this of you," she added and Willow only looked up at her with a bemused look on her face.

"What? Do you think it's funny that I'm asking you to risk your hard work?" she asked.

"No it's just that it's funny that you should be nervous about asking. You know I'll do anything to protect the other girls," Willow admitted with an impish little smile. "Remember I've got this friend who sort of instilled this odd sense of justice in me," she added.

"Well your friend works for certain factions of the Undying, so you better be careful with her," Lily reminded her of Buffy's job as Alfeo's main bodyguard and thinly disguised protégé.

"I know. She only took the job so she could stay and wait for me," Willow said in a low loving voice as she finished up healing Lily's hands. "I'm ready… well almost ready, I've managed almost two hours now and that's plenty of time right?" she asked and then blushed as Lily giggled at her.

"Well some would call that plenty of time," the woman laughed as Willow's sweetness seemed to ease the seriousness of the situation.

"Just tell me what to do Lily and I'll do it. I know the girls aren't ready for a fight and I am the Witchy Slayer Clone after all," she said and Lily raised an eyebrow. They had talked at length about Giles' discovery of the ancient spell that seemed to bind the two girls with such devastating results and Willow blamed her friend Xander's bad influence for the endless array of phrases she'd come up with to describe herself.

"I need you to go out among our friends, gather information and see what's causing all this. I sense a great evil at work here, greater than just some undying Royal making a power play. This sort of open warfare generally isn't Largo's style. Some of the others from time to time like to assert themselves, but not Largo," Lily explained and Willow nodded her head firmly with her full resolve face on as she slipped of the bed.

"I'll go and give them a bit of the old Willow charm," she said and started to pull of her white nightshirt as Lily averted her eyes. The girl had really become a lot more comfortable in her own skin since coming to them scared and confused that spring.

"Just nothing too drastic. Your ability to store magic is impressive, but not limitless," she reminded the witch as she pulled on a pair of heavy grey cargo pants up her toned legs.

"Usually the green glowing evil eyes, a bit of levitation and growling does the trick," Willow replied as she looked around for her sports-bra.

"No corset?" Lily couldn't resist a tease at the girl who had taken up a very risqué way of dressing after she'd come to them, but now seem to have calmed down somewhat.

"Oh please, that was just to get attention," Willow snorted but blushing none then less as she pulled on a green turtle neck and then started pulling her hair up in a tight ponytail, but making sure that her silver streaks formed nice framing bangs around her face.

"You really have grown up a lot Willow," Lily said sounding more motherly then Willow's own mother ever had and the red head turned and smiled brightly at her.

"Thanks Lily, it means a lot coming from you," she said as she pulled her green hooded jacket of the back of a chair and slipped her arms into it. "I mean I just feel so in control now and it's a good feeling. Like I can take on the world sort of good," she tried to explain how over the last few days things just had seemed to get easier. She had put it down her training and efforts, but the real reason of course being much darker and laying with certain newly embraced blonde girl smashing mirrors to pieces in a dark mansion somewhere outside the city.

"How do I look?" she asked as she pulled up the hood and made her eyes glow with green ethereal energy.

"Like a bad ass renegade that will hurt me if I don't talk fast," Lily chuckled at the overly dramatic look the girl had gone for and watched as she slipped two stakes into her pants wide pockets and then pulled a silver stake out of her drawer. A gift from one her conquests. Before she had realized that she was just setting up future roadblocks for herself and Buffy.

"Wish I had a cool sword like Giles has. I mean- Not that I need one, but just it's so cool," she giggled a little bit, checking herself in the mirror. Thinking to herself that she didn't look half bad and maybe she would run into Buffy and she could see how good she looked and- her internal babble stream was interrupted by Lily clearing her throat.

"Go see what you can find please and I'll see about getting you a sword so you can play musketeers with your friends," she said sweetly and Willow blushed again making a mental note to do less of that, adults didn't blush every three minutes. Nodding her head she opened her window and started gently levitating to the ground outside. "Make sure the girls are safe and wish me luck," she said.

"Good luck my girl," Lily replied softly as she watched the red headed witch lower herself to the ground outside and then head into the city. In the distance she could see at least one large fire burning and she knew that underground and in hidden places a war was being fought. Silently she wished she didn't have to ask this of Willow, but the girl was the strongest of them all and if there truly was a greater evil behind this all. That girl and her Slayer friend might be their only hope.

* * *

><p>Spike or William as the undying poofs insisted on calling much to his continued annoyance him was not having a good night. He now found himself stuck in a burning warehouse that had served as a hangout for various ghouls, goblins and ne'er-do-wells of the night.<p>

"Why won't these bastards stay dead! he yelled angrily as he roughly snapped the neck of one of Largo's goons that had showed up and started shooting up the place. He'd told the group of undying Alfeo had sent him with to take care of the matter to get the hell out of here once the fires had started, leaving him to his craft. Pulling out a rusted railroad spike he rammed it into the undying man's chest and nothing happened. He looked around for anybody else still alive in the quickly collapsing wreckage of the warehouse. His ears twitched and he switched to his game face sniffing the air.

"Help," there came a very faint groan from underneath a pile of chairs, tables and rubble. "Help… please…" it came again

"Oh for the love of..." he cursed himself for being so soft in his old age. Pulling his jacket's sleeve over his mouth he made his way to towards the sound, bits of the roof crashing down around him. Alfeo would have his head if he left any of his people to die in here and he was already worried enough about what Willow would do him if she ever found out about the Slayer's little dietary change.

As he started to dig through the rubble for the owner of the voice he felt somebody jump on his back and try to bite him in the shoulder. An undying woman in the Largo standard issue black goon gear hung onto his back. With his coat taking most of bite he grabbed her by head and dug his thumbs into her eyes causing her to scream out in pain.

"Right, that's it…" he muttered and wrestled the woman off his back. Baring his own fangs. he slammed her to the ground with almost great glee tore out her throat. Sucking greedily and then coughing and spitting. "God that is awful," he cursed trying to wipe the blood from his face. "Just awful!" he said and kicked the body for being such a subpar meal.

"Help…" there came again from the rubble snapping him out of his critique on the taste of undying blood. Turning around he hurriedly dug through the pile of rubble, finding a petite pixie faced red haired girl covered in soot and dirt. "Give me your hand girlie," he said. The girl opened her icy blue eyes and recoiled at the sight of him.

"Oh what is it… oh sorry forgot…" he apologized rather sheepishly putting his game face away holding out his hand to the scared girl. A rather familiar looking scared girl at that, eerily so even. Don't be so daft, he thought and was reminded that he'd always had a soft spot for red heads. Hell, just cute girls in general. Bright red hair that could in no way be her natural coloring, but finding out if his guess was true or not would be a worthy endeavor.

"My name is spike and I'm with Alfeo. I can get you to safety," he introduced himself in what he hoped was his most heroic sounding voice. Weakly she took his hand and he pulled her with all his strength out of the rubble. To his surprise the girl clung to him. "Hey it's alright…" he said softly and gathered her up in his arms looking for a way out.

"Just keep your head down and we'll have you sucking on high class rent boys in no time," he assured her and heard a faint giggle.

Putting his head down as he rushed through the flames with the girl in his arms, jumping over burning bodies and scattered furniture, finally crashing through a door and out into an alley behind the warehouse. With his coat and hair steaming he lowered the girl as gently as he could do the ground.

"Hey what's your name?" he asked giving her cheeks a light smack to rouse her. Slowly opening her eyes she coughed a few times and exposed pearly white fangs to him. He gave her his best roguish smile. "I need to know your name pet so I can tell Alfeo who I saved," he said again.

"Just tell daddy that I'm alright and it's Jacobella, but you can call me Jae" she replied with a impish smile as her vampiric savior seemed to grown just a bit paler. Cursing rather loudly and colorfully about his rotten luck this evening and how he should have just gone walkabout in Australia this summer like he had planned.

* * *

><p>Alfeo arrived at the mansion just a few steps ahead Giles. The Watcher driving the Austin Martin he'd "borrowed" from the garage like a bat out of hell. He came to stop with the squealing of tires right next to Alfeo who didn't even flinch.<p>

"Mister Giles that car cost me well over 12.000 dollars back in 1965," he said and Giles just brushed past him into the mansion.

Glancing at his prized silver 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Vantage convertible the undying sheriff sighed. First Summers getting embraced, then the Prince vanishing, then the open fighting and now people were taking his cars. Just how much more could possibly go wrong in one week?

The inside of the mansion was pure mayhem. Serving staff were running for the hills. Loud sounds of smashing could be heard coming from one of the rooms. But the first sight that greeted Giles was the smashed mirror in the foray and broken chair on the floor.

He looked up and saw Luna sitting on the stairs leading up to the second floor. She was rubbing her bloodstained neck one hand with her chin in the other, looking like she was just waiting for the rampage to stop. Unable to stop himself he walked past her with an amused look on his face.

"Plan didn't work, did it?" he asked her and she just sneered at him as he made his way towards the source of the noise.

"Good luck Watcher. She's been at for a while, so she must be getting bored!" Luna shouted after him as her only way of retort and then she heard Alfeo clear his throat. "Oh bother," she huffed out.

Since he'd had little to do in the past few days but to wander the spacious mansion that Alfeo called his out of town retreat he knew that the noise was coming from the ballroom. Even if the sounds of smashing weren't enough he could just follow the trail of destruction, smashed chairs, holes punched in walls and every single reflective surface shattered.

Stepping quietly into the mirrored ballroom he could see Buffy in her white dress bloodied and torn. One strap of it hanging of her pale shoulder, her mouth covered in blood and her blonde hair wild and unkempt.

"ARGH!" she yelled hurling a small statue at the last unbroken mirror in the room, the floor already covered in sparkling shards of broken mirrors among busted up furniture and smashed decorations.

"Why did this happen to me!" she shouted and stamped on the broken shards of the mirror. "I didn't want this!" she howled then turned and looked straight at him. Fighting the urge to gulp he met her icy blue stare. Her fangs bared and bloodied.

"Buffy… I know I will never understand fully how you feel, but right now the city is tearing itself apart out there," he said trying to appeal to the good in her. Trying to reach the girl who would never allow an innocent to be bullied, put down or harmed.

Falling to her knees amongst the broken mirrors she clawed at her shattered reflection. Why did she have to have a reflection? Why couldn't she be like Spike or Angel? She didn't want to see herself like this. See what Willow and her mom would see and what Giles saw right now. Even her brilliant plan to bite Luna and run into the sunlight at failed because it was pitch black outside. Some vampire she was... couldn't even tell the difference between night and day.

Looking down at her hands she noticed they weren't even cut or bleeding and smashing the furniture to bits hadn't even hurt. The skin was smooth, unbroken and pale. Her pointed ears twitched as Giles tried to make his way quietly across the sea of broken glass and mirrors.

"I can hear you Giles so just stop trying to be Batman," she said in a low voice, picking up a shard of the mirror she'd just violently smashed. She started to study herself, not in rage fueled damnation of her embracing, but just studying what had changed.

Curling back her upper-lip she looked at her pearly white fangs, noticing the blood on them she unconsciously cleaned them off with her tongue. Then she pulled her matted hair back so she could study her ears. Not quite Vulcan-like as Xander would probably say but close. Then she saw her eyes, perhaps the biggest change, gone were the soft colors she used to have, replaced with an icy blue color and dark pupils ringed with white.

Giles kneeled slowly beside her as she studied herself, unsure if he should hug her or not. She looked so fragile and lost as she studied herself in the mirror shard. Without turning away from her examination of her new self she said; "Don't worry Giles I won't freak out anymore," in a soft voice.

"That is good, I guess," he mumbled and slowly put his arm around her slender shoulders.

"Gee understatement much British?" she managed to softly joke. "I've just been in the dark for so long now, feels like it has been years up in that room," she mumbled feeling oddly tired as she leaned her head on Giles' shoulder. "Why can't things be easy Giles?" she asked after a while, looking up at him with shimmering eyes.

"I guess easy is for other people. We get the hard life so they don't have to," he tried to answer her. "As Spike would say: It's a shite job but somebody has to do it," he smiled and for the first time in what felt like ages Buffy giggled and graced him with one of her beautiful smiles, fangs and all.

They were interrupted by Alfeo's soft ahem and Buffy looked at him over Giles' shoulder. He was doing a very good job of concealing his utter horror at the destruction of his home, she thought. Behind him stood June along with Garfield and Odie and June holding a very familiar looking garment bag.

"As much as I hate to interrupt this touching moment I fear I must. Much has happened since you were embraced Miss Summers," he said in an apologetic tone. "Now I would under normal circumstances give you all the time in the world to adjust," he said and Buffy glared at him. "But events outside my control have forced my hand in the matter," he said and motioned for June to step forth.

"Right girlie, how about we draw you a nice warm bath and maybe see about finding you a toothbrush?" the seemingly unflappable woman asked in her Irish brogue causing Buffy to sniff herself for the first time in days and then do the breath test into the palm of her hand.

"Eww… maybe you're right," she admitted sheepishly. "And Alfie sorry… about well you know trashing your place and stuff," she apologized to her boss, showing some signs of her old self however temporary it might be. But in her mind she was thinking that brooding was Angel's deal not hers. This would not defeat her.

Alfeo just smiled at her and she flashed him an equally fanged smiled. "Hey it's not like I don't have a lot of time to pay you back right?" she lamely joked. Yep she thought no brooding for this Slayer just rightful bloody vengeance on the bastards that had caused this. Yet at the back of her mind that annoying little voice asked her: What about Willow? You think she'll want a want vampire for a girlfriend?

Across town, somewhere deep underground, Daniel tested his chains again. He had to give Largo credit for the old fashion style dungeon he'd been thrown in. Almost took him back to the Crusades. Well, aside from the security camera and the speaker mounted in the corner. Oh, and the bright lights. Other than that it was very dark ages.

Now as the Summers girl would say all he could do was hang tight and hope Alfeo would come through for him as always. Testing the chains out of boredom he found them still quite solid, almost surprisingly solid like his strength was being zapped somehow. Just who or what was Largo working with?

A few floors up from where Daniel pondered the walls of his dungeon Victor Largo sat with his feet up on a massive granite desk. Sipping blood from a silver cup, he leaned back and sighed happily to himself. So far the plan was working. The half-breeds and witches and werewolves and demonic scum were scurrying into their holes and all it had taken was a little bit of force.

There was a loud rumble, causing him to spill blood on his shirt. Just as he was about to demand what was going on there was another louder rumble and shadowy apparition stood before him. Hurriedly scrambling to his knees he prostrated himself in front of the figure.

"My lord, I'm honored," he said as growled in front of the shimmering figure.

"You have done well Largo, but I have yet to see my promised river of blood," the figure stated and its voice seemed to be emanating from the bottom of a pit. It's flowing inky black robes obscuring his shape so Largo could never tell if it was male or female or even if it had a gender.

"You will have it my lord, but wholesale slaughter takes time and you did request a certain level of fear," Largo assured his benefactor who snarled at him from beneath hooded robes.

"Good. The Red Witch will discover me soon enough and I will need all my strength to fully engage and take her," the being chuckled humorlessly and Largo briefly glanced up at the shimmering face under the hood and then down again growing paler.

"What about the Slayer?" the figure asked seeming amused by the undying man's revulsion to its appearance.

"Dead, my Lord. Staked as per your orders. It took a dozen of my men and many them did not make out ail…" he started to retell of how the Slayer had all put slaughtered the men he'd sent to kill her.

"I do not care about your losses Victor Largo, only that the Slayer is dead and can no longer lend her strength to the Red Witch," the chilling echoing voice replied. "I have waited half a millennium for this and I will not have ruined by some silly girls sapphic urges," it added.

"But she is but one witch and with the Slayer gone surely…" Largo started to try to argue that maybe killing of large chunks of the population wasn't that good for business. He was rewarded with a stabbing pain his chest like his heart was on fire as the being pointed at him.

"Five hundred years since the spell was cast! Five hundred years waiting for the stars to align so that a young witch would come into contact with a Slayer! Make no mistake Victor Largo that power was to be mine and that power will be mine!" the hooded apparition thundered angrily at him then lowered its hand and the undying lot go of his chest with a relieved sigh.

"Now don't forget my river of blood Victor Largo. Soon. I would hate to have to withdraw my aid. And just think who they'd lynch if they all stopped fighting each other long to figure out who was behind this all?" With a chuckle and with another shake of the ground, it was gone.

Victor Largo shakily got to his feet, fumbling about for the bottle of blood on his desk he pulled out the stopper and greedily drank the entire contents of it. He was between a rock and hard place now. The being, wizard, demon or whatever it was had made sure that tensions boiled over in the city clearing his way into power among the Undying, but if the fog were to lift everybody would be pointing at him as the culprit. Then picked up the phone and dialed his second-in-command. "New orders: Kill any being not loyal to us on sight, no exceptions," he tried to say firmly but his voice shook all the same.

**To be continued in Chapter 11: Suit up Miss Summers or how the Author wishes the time line for the story would align better with How I Met Your Mother for awesome in-jokes.**


	12. Chapter 11: Suit up Miss Summers

**Chapter 11: Suit up Miss Summers**

Buffy stood under the scalding hot water of the shower, scrubbing away days of grime and caked blood. In control of her senses for the first time in what felt like ages, she leaned her head against the tiled wall. It was time to take stock of the situation then come up with a plan and save the world. Stepping out of the shower she caught a look of herself in the mirror. The fangs didn't bother her much anymore and the pointed ears could be covered up with clever hairstyling, but the eyes. Her new frosted eyes with their white circles and inky black pupils. They were a constant reminder that she wasn't human anymore. Biting back on the brooding beast that tried to sneak up her again she snarled at her reflection. Bad inner-Angel! You stop trying to ruin things, she thought to herself.

Checking herself out in the mirror she stretched out and then tried to check out her butt because, well, some things never change no matter your state of mortality. Maybe it would not be too bad to be stuck with this body for the next few hundred years, she thought. Running her hands over her smooth stomach now considerably paler then before she realized she would miss having a tan the most. You can embrace the Valley Girl but she'll still be a Valley girl at heart. Then again, there was always spray on.

There was a knock on the door and an Irish brogue called out. "Hurry up lass! I've got to make sure your suit fits and make sure the boys are fed as well."

Unable to not smile as Auntie June played den mother to her, Giles, Spike, Kirk and Spock, Alfeo and anybody in the mansion really, she wrapped the fluffy white towel around her body and stepped out of the bathroom. But not before picking up the shredded toothbrush and dropping it in the bin. Fangs would take some more getting used to after all it would seem.

Stepping out of the bathroom she found June holding up a pressed pinstriped black suit, a fresh white blouse and another pair of those darned sensible shoes. Smiling at the Irish woman Buffy picked up her garments and walked into towards the separator to change in some privacy. There was a knock on the door and Luna dressed up in what Buffy would call her secretarial finest smiled at June as she opened the door. Her dark hair was tied up in a tight bun and her legs elongated by high black heels.

"Who is it?" Buffy asked coming back out dressed in just the blouse and pants from her suit, pulling on her shoes. Her face turned neutral at the sight of the woman.

"I'll just leave you two to your work," June hurriedly excused herself and slipped past Luna.

"What's with the naughty secretary outfit?" Buffy asked with a cocked eyebrow as Luna strode into the room and started laying out the thick manila folders she was carrying on the bed.

"Alfredo has decreed that I now work for you," she answered sounding a lot less than thrilled by her new posting. "Since my brother is busily slaughtering everybody he thinks his a threat to his rule. I had little choice but to accept," she explained.

"So what you're like, my what? Assistant or some sort of second-in-command?" Buffy asked the chain of command with undying was something she'd never been able to grasp because it seemed to be different from group to group.

"I am whatever you desire me to be Miss Summers," Luna said trying to keep things professional, but Buffy could spot the cracks in her demeanor.

"Oh really?" Buffy grinned evilly and Luna curtly ignored her. Clearly the undying woman did have more sides to her then just the run of the mill temptress or shy little sister. Yet what Buffy could not seem to nail down was how she would act the sultry temptress on minute and then revert to a shy submissive girl straight off the farm the next.

"Now I've gathered the reports you may have missed to get you up to speed," she said gesturing to the three thick manila folders of reports she'd brought. "I've also ordered new weapons made for you and you'll need this," she added producing a flask of the Amber Nectar that most undying sustained themselves on.

Buffy looked down at the thick folders and then at took the silver flask engraved with B.S. on it. Unscrewing the cap she took a sniff and could have sworn it smelled like Dr. Pepper. Taking a tentative sip her eyes bulged out as she fought the urge to gag but eventually swallowed it.

"It takes some getting used to, but it will sustain you," Luna explained stony faced, professional and to Buffy oddly alluring in this latest persona. The woman seemed to shift personalities like most people changed socks, or maybe it was just a result of long life. She had seen Daniel slip between being a cold calculative bastard into a joker that took great pleasure in teasing his old friend several times during just one meeting. While offering up a silent plea to whoever was listening she picked up the first of the folders. She hoped dearly that she would at least manage to hang onto a stable personality in the coming years.

"Good work. Not that this makes us even in any way shape or form for what you did. Still I can't afford to cut out one the few people I know are on my side," she said bluntly and Luna just nodded her head as Buffy sat down on the bed and started to page through the report. Before she had the chance to ask Luna handed her a pen and a yellow pad. Had to give the woman credit she was good at her job and didn't look bad in a black pencil skirt and white blouse either.

"Spit it out Luna," she sighed as she could feel the woman's eyes on her while she jotted down a quick list of assets, allies and potential allies.

"I just... look I'm sorry, okay," her new undying assistant said leaning against the wall. "Also I have to say that you seem to be adjusting remarkably well. I should have just let you trash the place on day one," she added with a grin.

Buffy looked up at her and clicked her pen. Her cold eyes were intense and Luna could feel the strength and determination radiating of the girl.

"I know you did what you thought you had to do and I am glad for not being... well dead because God knows how that would have ended," she said clicked the pen again and started doodling a bit on the side of the yellow pad. "And as for coping, I'm just trying to hold it together. I had this boyfriend once. He was a super broody guy and he got so worried about everything that it just sort of got in the way of everything," she tried to explain. "I never want to be that person. I've been dealt a crap hand and now I just got to deal with it," she said and gave Luna a perky smile.

"Gods you are just all sunshine and rainbows, aren't you?" Luna asked with a bit of a disgusted look on her face and Buffy just put on her best-who-me look.

"Just call me Rainbow Bride and you should know better than to say that!" she giggled and the undying girl looked away. "Now help me figure out what the hell your brother is up to?" she asked pointing to an empty space on her bed. "Because so far this makes no sense," she went on as Luna gingerly sat down, minding her short skirt.

"How so, he's always disliked those he deems unworthy to roam the night," Luna answered with a shrug and looked over at Buffy's rather detailed notes, clearly some of Alfeo had rubbed off on the girl.

"Yes but why take Daniel prisoner instead of just killing him and then just sitting back to play the fiddle while torching the place?" the blonde girl asked circling the name Daniel on her pad.

"Well as it's my duty to teach you our ways let's start with the very basic. The reason for my brother merely capturing Daniel is simple: We don't kill our own," Luna explained and rather firmly.

"Oh what do you call that little visit to your place then?" Buffy asked right back with a raised eyebrow. "Seemed like they sort of wanted to kill us both to me," she added.

"Perhaps my brother no longer considers me one of us?" Luna asked back and locked eyes with Buffy, the one of us seeming to carry more weight then she had meant. There was silence between the pair for a while before Buffy broke it with a grin.

"Right, no brooding remember? Now let's go over who we have on our side. So far I've got Alfeo, Giles, Spike, the twins and June," she read of her list. "Xander and Anya are on my maybe list and I'd rather not bring any of my other friends into this mess unless we have to," she muttered biting into her lower lip with her fang. "Oh bloody..." she cursed as the sharp tip broke the skin, causing a small trickle of blood.

"Here let me..." Luna pulled out a tissue and was right there wiping away the blood causing Buffy to freeze up as this scene seemed early familiar. Staying still while the undying girl leaned forward and Buffy could see her bra and breasts between the buttons of her blouse as she wiped the blood away from her lower lip until it stopped flowing.

"Erma thanks... I mean we really should get milk teeth first uh right?" Buff nervously tried to joke as Luna stayed close and just looked at her as if she was waiting for her to act. The Slayer moved in closer and closer, in her mind she was back in her room at the start of summer and Willow had just healed a cut on her hand.

"Buffy perhaps you should not rush into anything," the undying girl tried to snap the blonde out of whatever spell she had fallen under. She felt soft lips gently press against hers for the briefest of moments. A quiet desperation clear in the girl's frosty eyes, almost like she was trying to capture a fleeting feeling again. Then the moment passed and she withdrew.

"Sorry, just had to... you know be sure... and stuff," Buffy tried to apologize for both being so forward and not to mention coming of as a bit loopy. Most importantly she'd not felt anything when she'd kissed her, just the aching emptiness of it not being Willow she was kissing.

"It's alright Miss Summers. As I said earlier: I am anything you desire me to be," Luna reaffirmed her job description as the flushed girl started busying herself with her work again under the questioning gaze of her assistant.

"Luna I know it's none of my business, but are you okay?" she asked after a bit of reading with Luna explaining various topics like some of the clans to her. The Elders were the ones she was most curious about as they seemed to have the most power but they did not throw their weight around very much. Luna had explained that was probably because they were so ancient that any movement might turn them to dust which made Buffy laugh and had led to her question.

"I'm fine Miss Summer why do you ask?" Luna replied stone-faced and looked away from the Slayer's curious gaze.

"It's just that you seem to… well you are coming of as a bit skitzo," Buffy stated rather bluntly and then her face took on the look of oh-I-did-not-just-say-that. "I'm so sorry didn't mean it to come out like that," she blurted out and Luna only kindly smiled at her.

"Well I guess I owe you some explanation having embraced you and all that," she said softly and stood up and wanderer over to the window and Buffy saw her wrapping her arms around her petite frame.

"You see for the longest time I've had to lead this double life. I was the dutiful and loyal sister when around my brother. Then I was the naughty little tease when striking out on my own. You see the shy girl with the notepad doesn't hold much power, but the seductress gets what she wants," she explained. "It's just been going on for so long that I guess I sort of don't know who I am anymore," she admitted and Buffy could see her shoulders falling. "Does that answer your question?"

"Sorry didn't mean to stir up emotional stuff, but tell you what," she said in her perky voice and Luna half turned to look at her. "You said earlier that you'll be anything I desire you to be. Well I just want you to be Luna and Luna is whoever you decide she is," the undying Slayer smiled at her new assistant and for the first time she saw a genuine smile grave the woman's lips.

"I… I would like that," Luna said and Buffy nodded at her. One mess sorted out and a friend gained she thought as Luna wandered back over to the bed. Just the little matter of the state of open warfare and Willow and her new 'fangy-ness' to deal with oh and that bloody sword of Giles' and she felt the headache coming back. Dropping her pen she pinched the bridge of her nose just like Giles always did trying to will the pain away.

Then she felt Luna gently take her hand and she looked up at her with an overwhelmed look on her face. "Don't worry Buffy, I believe in you and this Willow girl is lucky," Luna said in an earnest voice and smiled at her proudly. Buffy gave a firm nod and picked up her pen again. A friend gained, bumping uglies avoided and now it was time to nip this war thing in the butt.

* * *

><p>Willow ran as fast as her feet could carry her with her coat flapping behind her, dragging along with her a young witch and her undying boyfriend.<p>

She'd had just bailed the duo out of a nasty encounter with some of Largo's goons. The night was not longer a safe place and her scouting mission had quickly turned into a rescue mission. Having stopped another group of goons from torching a bookstore and then just straight up blasting one of them through a wall she was starting to ache.

Turning into an alley she cursed as she came face to face with a wall and started thinking as fast as she could. She could hear footsteps fast approaching soon the four goons would turn the corner and they'd be screwed. Looking at the bleach blond undying and the up at a fire-escape, then at the frightened fledgling witch with her pink hair she almost sighed at what was happening to young people today. Pointing at the fire-escape she looked at the undying boy, boy because man didn't quite fit him. He seemed to be holding it together better then the witch was, the duo struck her as oddly familiar but she couldn't place it.

"Get to Alfeo's club, he'll get you two to safety," she instructed the blond who nodded his head and boosted his girlfriend up onto the first rung of the fire-escape. The young witch looked down at Willow as the red head started gathering her magic around her in a swirl of green energy. She was running low and soon what stores she had would be depleted, but she wasn't going to let them get their hands on the pair.

"Miss Rosenberg, thank you," the pink haired witched called down from the fire escape as her undying girlfriend urged her to climb.

"Just go," Willow said and stepped forward as four of Largo's goons dressed in black from head to toe with their black combat masks covering theirs face. 'Good,' thought Willow. 'I'd hate to see their faces.' Pulling back her hood she pulled herself to her full height.

"I am Willow Rosenberg and I represent the Western Coven, turn back now or face the consequences," she challenged her pursuers in what she hoped was a firm and commanding voice.

Her four attackers looked at the petite girl with her flowing green coat flapping behind her in the breeze. Then they looked at each other and with a laugh slowly advanced. With a sigh Willow slowly closed her eyes and then snapped them open blazing with green fire.

The air swirling around her she pointed at the first one of the goon and with a ripple of green energy he slammed into the wall. Steadying her breathing she started to draw on her reserves and motioned upwards. The remaining three rose into the air where they flailed about for a few second before she clenched her fist and they slammed into the ground with a bone crushing thud. The bodies lay on the ground cracked and broken by the force of Willow's power, twitching with spasms and Willow had to bite back her sick.

Then she stalked over at to the one lying in a heap against the wall, her eyes blazing but sweet glistening on her brow. Taking him by front of his uniform she snarled at him in her best Spike impression.

"Hear me well little man," she growled at him with her eyes ablaze and slammed the man's head against the wall.

"I don't know what is going on, but I don't like it," she said. The would-be attacker, now barely conscious, only groaned in response, but at least he was hearing her. "So tell Largo that the bad ass witch is coming for him," she spat at him and then in an oddly geek inspired moment she burned a W into the front of the man's shirt.

Standing up to her full height again she pulled her hood up over her face and using the last of her reserves she made a subtly impressive exist levitating herself to the roof where she fell to her knees breathing heavily.

"Buffy could really use your help right about now," she muttered as headed back into Largo's part of the city, almost like something was drawing her there, almost like a beacon of foul magic that called to something deep inside her.

"No, but I needed time. Okay Willow, stop. You're talking to yourself, not good," she said to herself and shook her head. Feeling a massive headache coming on she only hoped that Buffy was doing something about this mess as well and that hopefully they'd run into each other and have a nice superhero team-up moment. If only Willow thought as she levitated slowly onto the next rooftop staying of the streets seemed to be the only safe option at night now.

* * *

><p>Buffy sat behind Alfeo's desk in his study at the mansion she'd folded up the sleeves of her blouse and felt oddly like she'd be telling somebody to turn in their badge . She'd been going over the reports and she didn't like what she'd found in them one bit. With her feet on the desk she waited for the rest of the group to arrive. Luna was dutiful pouring her a glass of that Amber Nectar stuff, looking every bit the dutiful assistant and more at ease with herself after their little talk.<p>

She took the glass from her then watched the undying girl sit down and cross her legs holding a pad and pen ready to take notes. Lifting the glass in a silent salute Buffy slammed the contents back as fast as she could, making a silly face to fight the gag reflex. Luna couldn't hide a small smile at how the girl took her drink, but quickly sat up straighter once Giles arrived. The Watcher was now dressed a three piece tweet suit that June had insisted her put on instead of his dusty and smelly suit.

"Back in your element eh Giles?" Buffy asked from behind the desk as the Watcher looked at her a bit surprised at how natural she looked behind the desk, even thought it did look two sizes too big for her.

"Well June was most insistent that I not drag any more dust through the mansion," he answer with a wry smile and sat down in one of the chairs dotted around the study.

"Hey after the number I did on it I'm not surprised," Buffy grinned and then at Giles' pointed look added: "Which I do plan on paying back for of course."

Next to arrive was Alfeo bringing with him a bleach blond undying boy who looked very nervous in the presence of Alfeo and even more so when he saw Buffy.

The undying sheriff looked, as always, immaculate and in control but Buffy could spot that he was quite a bit paler than usual.

"Who is the cutie, Alfie?" she asked as he seemed to inwardly sigh at seeing her behind his desk and the boy got a bit bashful instead of nervous.

"This is Charles, he came to the club asking for protection for himself and his girlfriend," he explained as the undying boy nodded his head at Buffy who couldn't help but to smile at the boy.

"He also has something quite interesting to tell us," Alfeo said and motioned for the young man to speak. He nervously took the glass of Amber offered by Luna and took a sip to steady himself.

"Well I was out on a date with Kimmy, my girlfriend, she's a witch but she don't seem to mind me being all well fangy and stuff like she calls it," he started to explain as Buffy leaned forward on the desk to listen hands grasped under chin.

"Sorry it's been a rough night. Anyways we were attacked by these four Largo goons who wanted to take Kimmy and I wasn't going to let them," he paused and took another sip. "They were about to beat me down when this force just sort of blew them all away and there was this girl," he went on and Buffy nodded her head.

"Tall, red hair, green eyes, super hot and she just grabbed us by the hand and told us to come with her. So we started running but they followed us into this alley," he stopped, finished off his drink and Luna topped him up again.

"Long story short she told us to climb to the roof and then she just… well just sort of turned them into pulp with this like insanely powerful magic," Charles finished his story his hand visibly shaken as the clutched his glass.

"Did you catch her name?" Buffy asked leaning back in her chair sort of already suspecting who it was that had saved the boy and his girlfriend.

"Willow. I heard her tell them that she was Willow Rosenberg of the Western Coven," Charles answered as the twins came into the room. Buffy nodded at Alfeo who looked down at the young man.

"My associates will take you to your lady love Mister Hartman," he said and the boy nodded. "Thank you Charlie," Buffy said and the undying lad couldn't help but to smile at her as Laurel and Hardy led him away.

Buffy tapped her index fingers together thinking what this could mean. Willow hadn't really been in control of her powers last time they'd met, but now she was out and about playing Protector of the Innocent.

"What is this about Willow?" Spike interrupted her train of thought as he blew into the room with a girl with bright red hair dressed I skinny jeans and a slightly worse for wear white tank tube top clinging to his arm. Alfeo looked at the girl clinging to the vampire and she broke into a big grin.

"Daddy!" she squealed as she disengage herself from Spike and flung her arms around Alfeo who stood ramrod straight. Buffy mouthed 'daddy' at Spike who just shrugged in a hell if I know gesture back at her.

"Jacobella, what are you doing here? I thought you were at the estate in Italy?" Alfeo asked his child who kissed him on the cheek leaving a faint pink mark.

"I just got into town like yesterday daddy and you know that your men in black can never find me," she replied in a perky voice and Buffy suspected that she and the girl would get along just fine. Meanwhile Giles threw Alfeo a very sympathetic look that just said 'I know your pain my friend.'

"I found her at one of the warehouses Largo's fellows where torching some people had gathered there for strength in numbers," Spike explained and sprawled himself out on a sofa as Jae smiled at him. "Told me she was your kid so thought it best to bring her here," he added offhandedly and then looked at Buffy not having seen much of her since finding out she'd become one of the family as he called it. "Love the ears Slayer," he chuckled and Buffy playfully hissed back at him flashing her white fangs. "Oh be still my un-beating heart," he said and mock swooned as Buffy threw a pen at him which to her annoyance her just caught and twirled.

"Oh he was wonderful daddy," she said and Buffy could see Alfeo battling his parental instincts not to throttle Spike on the spot the way his little girl was talking about the Brit.

"I am sure he was Jacobella, but what brings you all this way?" Alfeo asked and Buffy had to admit she was quite curious too not only about the girl but why in fact she had come here probably knowing full well that the city was a warzone.

"I found something daddy," Jae said and pulled out folded piece of paper from her jeans' pocket. "I was doing some research back home like you asked me to and well I felt like this should be hand delivered," she stated now all business as Alfeo unfolded the piece of paper. Reading it slowly his eyes grew wider and Jae smiled winsomely at him.

"Alfie, you look like you've seen a ghost boss," Buffy said and he wordlessly handed Giles the note and the watcher turned equally pale. "Hey stop turning white and clue me in here," she demanded.

"It's a prophecy, well more like a warning," Giles explained and adjusted his glasses. "When the Western Coven has its champion. When the Slayer has fallen. The river of blood shall flow towards the house of worship and the power that was denied shall be taken. Beware the Dark Wizard rises to claim the Red Witches might," he read and Buffy's eyes went wide.

Her mind running through what Giles had just said. Fallen Slayer, check, Red Witch could only be Willow, check, Western Coven, check on that. "Get me a map of the city Luna," she ordered and Luna snapped to pulling a rolled up map from one of the shelves lining the walls.

"Sorry about this Alfie," she apologized and pushed everything on the desk to one side as Luna helped her roll out the map.

"Buffy what is it?" Giles asked as he got up and moved to stand beside his Slayer who was studying the map as Alfeo moved closer and even Spike sat up on the couch.

"House of Worship, house of worship" Buffy muttered and started drawing on the map, drawing circles around the various houses of worship in the city regardless of religion. "Lune the latest reports please," she ordered Luna and the undying woman hurriedly brought them over as Buffy paged through them fast a she could, her hands blurring as she put her new unnatural speed to the task.

"Buffy what…" Giles tried to ask again but was cut off by Buffy holding up her finger as she found her spot in the report.

"Giles remember how you've always told me I was so much smarter than I give myself credit for?" she asked and Giles nodded his head. "Well this is me using those smarts so shush. Luna red pen," she smiled at him and took the pen offered by Luna. She started to mark the points on the map where Largo's goons had been showing up and blasting things to bits before putting it to the torch.

"Spike get your British butt over here! Where was the warehouse you found Jacobella at?" she asked Spike who oddly enough got to his feet with Jae taking the chance to slide up next to him. The vampire scanned the map and totally missing Alfeo's daughter looking at him dreamily. Pointing to a spot on the map Buffy circled it and started to draw lines between the various hot spots.

"Ah… there is always a pattern," she laughed to herself as the lines started to converge on a church smack-dab the middle of Largo's territory. The lines she'd drawn through the hot spots all converging on it. "And there ladies and gentlemen, is your river of blood running towards a house of worship," she declared circling it a few times for good measure before beaming her thousand watt smile at them. They all leaned over the map to study it as she sat back in the chair, tilting it backwards with a creak and trying not to chuckle but failing.

"Right we know where the shit will hit the fan now what do we do about it?" a new voice asked and Buffy's chuckle died on her lips as she saw Xander and Anya being escorted into the room by June. Xander carrying what looked like six foot long wooden staff sharpened at one end and Anya had a slender sword, a katana if she was not mistaken, strapped onto her back. The pair wore very cute matching leather jackets and seemingly had come ready for a fight. Buffy's face fell and she didn't know if she should put her hands over her ears or her mouth first as she glared daggers at Giles.

**To be continued in Chapter 12… will Buffy make it to the church on time? Will Xander manage to make Vulcan jokes, will Anya say something inappropriate, you betcha.**

_The Author speaks at the end this time: Right I'm now about four chapters into the complete departure from the original story at this point and I've not said much about feedback before, but I am dying to find out what you guys think _


	13. Chapter 12: Confessions of a Slayer

_The Author Speaks: This is my favorite chapter I've writen so far. Mostly because of the Buffy and Willow scenes I got to write at long last after teasing it for ages. As well as I get to play on Buffy's close relationship with Xander. Also all this author wants for Christmas is feedback. I know I've not asked for it much in way of reviews before now, but I'm getting curious about what you guys think of this little story. _

_Now I've got Chapter 13 all done but my beta reader has this thing called school or some such. So it might be a few days before I update, but in all fairness there is a lot of resolving stuff in this chapter so Chapter 13 is basicly just fights and Willow being kick-ass._

**Chapter 12: Confessions of a Slayer**

Buffy wanted to sink into her chair, well technically Alfeo's chair, but she liked it and thus it was hers now. Xander was looking at her with that goofy look of his and Anya had that look of I-am-about-to-say-something. Both looks filled her with dread. Not knowing what to do, she put her hands over her ears and kept her mouth shut as she tried to turn away from them, attempting to hide her eyes.

"Giles..." she tried to talk without opening her mouth, looking like the world's worst ventriloquist.

"Not my doing," the Watcher simply said holding up his hands in defense. She gave a sideways glance at Alfeo. "Alfie?" she asked sounding even angrier.

"Anyanka and I go back some ways," Alfeo answered managing to sound almost sheepish as Anya smiled at him and Jae threw her father a shocked look. "Daddy!" she exclaimed clearly fuming a bit at her father's 'icky' past.

"So Buffy something you want to tell us about? You know like what's with the boss lady look and those killer contacts?" Xander asked playing with the tip of staff while his eyes darted about the room.

The young man was clearly somewhat uncomfortable about his girlfriend's past and the fact Buffy looked like she'd gone to the Dark Side. Wearing a power-suit and what he hoped was contacts so she could blend in better like in one of those spy movies.

"Look Buffster... Just tell us, okay? I mean how bad can it be?" Xander asked in an earnest voice after the silence in the room had dragged on for a bit too long.

Sighing Buffy turned around in the chair before standing up slowly and removing her hands from her pointy ears. She looked down at the floor muttering "Here goes nothing" before looking up at her arguably best guy friend in the whole wide world and smiled at him. Anya just raised an eyebrow while Xander to his credit only took one singular small step backwards, but then quickly straightened up as Buffy's face saddened.

"Okay… you're a vampire now?" he asked like it somebody would ask about a person changing jobs or taking up a new hobby.

"Undying," Luna corrected him before Buffy had a chance to answer. "He is a vampire," she said pointing at Spike who just rolled his eyes at her as Jae whispered into his ear with a grin on her face: "I don't mind!"

"How… how did this happen?" he asked stepping closer to Buffy who was still finding the floor very interesting. "I mean did you let it happen?" he quizzed her and Buffy nodded her head.

"Let me guess you were trying to get some of that and things went very wrong?" Anya asked gesturing at Luna and the ex-demon seemed totally uninterested in the scene unfolding in front of her. Xander threw his girlfriend an angry glare but was stopped from lecturing her about how she needed to be more tactful sometimes when Buffy spoke up

"Well I guess we can add gay to the list of new things yeah," Buffy muttered as Xander put his finger under her chin to make her look up at him.

"Don't worry about it Slay-girl I've known that part for ages. And well I would say bi myself just to keep hope alive," he said with a silly grin on his face that made Buffy giggle.

"This other part, well do you want to eat me right now?" he asked and Buffy firmly shook her head.

"Then we're cool my Vulcan friend. May you live long and prosper," he joked holding up the Live Long and Prosper hand gesture and then yelped in a very manly way as Buffy hugged him so tightly that his ribs ached. Then she went one better and lifted him up from the floor.

"Thanks Xander, you're the best," she whispered into his ear and looked around him at Anya who was smirking and looking very happy with herself.

"Thanks too Anya," she added as Xander started to struggle for air. "Oh sorry!" she apologized lowering him back to his feet as he took a few steadying breaths. "Stronger then I used to be," she sheepishly put her hands behind her back and rolled back cutely on her heels.

"Don't worry sweaty I'll rub it better," Anya said and wrapped her arm around Xander's waist. "Maybe Buffy can help now she's all out and proud. What you say?" she asked and Buffy glared at her while flushing a pale pink color as Xander had to bite his tongue.

There was long and very uncomfortable stare down between Anya, Buffy and somehow Luna who was smirking and waving at Xander unable to resist teasing the boy a little. He just looked in such discomfort at being caught in between the two girls.

It was then as Buffy looked at Xander about to tell him not to say anything. That her mind was filled not quite with images but she somehow could sense his thoughts.

"Eww you freaking perv Xander!" she shouted as her mind was filled with flashes of Xander's thoughts. Her eyes were locked onto his and she was unable to break the contact. This wasn't like when Luna had tried to probe her mind when they first met and she'd experience the domination gift that some undying possessed.

Groaning as she got a flash of Xander's thoughts every time he blinked his eyes. Flashes of herself and Anya making out, flashes of her and Anya kneeling in front of him and when she saw a flash of herself topless with Anya licking away like a kitten she crossed her arms over her chest protectively. It stopped when Anya swiftly slapped Xander on the back of the head breaking the contact.

"Thanks, but don't think you're any better…" she muttered at Anya and her eyes locked on the former demon and it started again. But Anya seemed to be fully aware of it and was taking great pleasure in projecting some very specific ideas into Buffy's mind.

"Oh God… Luna how do you turn this off!" she pleaded with her undying friend closing her eyes to break eye contact. Her domination gift as Alfeo had called it choosing a very bad time to manifest itself. Luna had warned her about it during those long dark days after her embracing.

Luna stepped up to her and whispered into hear ear something the others couldn't hear. Nodding Buffy slowly opened her eyes again and glared at Xander who gave his best 'who me' look. "You two so deserve each other…" Buffy said, pointing at the pair.

"Children please! Can we focus on the task at hand?" both Alfeo and Giles exclaimed at the same time having grown tired of watching the drama unfolding. The tension in the room broke as both Jae and Buffy broke into a fit of giggles at their respective parental units being so in sync.

* * *

><p>A little over an hour later Buffy looked up at the church she'd found on the map with Giles standing by her side. She'd told the rest of the group to get some rest, but she'd also lectured Xander and Anya about what good they thought they could do in a fight. Xander had told her in no uncertain terms that they were friends and friends stick together. He did this while humming the theme song from Super-Friends at her until she gave in, but not before nicely asking Alfeo to arm her friends better.<p>

"You do know being here is highly dangerous?" Giles asked as he stepped out of the Austin Martin once again borrowed from Alfeo, pulling his coat around him.

"Well I wanted to see what this place was, not really getting a big evil wipe from it though," she said while she double checked her stakes and the short sword strapped to her back. "I was so sure," she muttered as Giles put his hand on her shoulder.

"Let's not be hasty. The text Jacobella brought said this would be the place of the battle, not the evil lair. A place doesn't always have to have lightning flashing behind it to be deemed evil," he said and she smiled up at him, showing her fangs as she was getting more comfortable doing it. Especially since Giles had this way of always just seeing the good in her.

Taking deep breath she walked up the steps and found the doors to the church open. She slowly pushed the handle down almost afraid it would burn her, letting out a sigh of relief when the heavy wooden doors simply swung open allowing her entry.

"Giles scout around the place okay? I'll check inside, but no heroics okay? No going swinging at whatever you find with your fancy new sword. You find something you get back to me right away," she said and the Watcher nodded at her with a smirk and walked around the back of the church while she stepped inside.

The church was devoid of people and yet there were candles seemingly everywhere. Buffy walked down the aisle as her shadow danced on the walls and columns, the eyes of the saints on the statues and paintings seemingly following her. She came to a stop on the steps leading up the altar. Staring up at the crucifix hanging above it and then running her fingers over her ears she looked around just to make sure she was all alone.

She'd been secretly worrying about how to keep Xander, Anya, Giles and even Willow safe through all of this and even in the years to come. No matter how hard she thought she couldn't come up with anything better than knocking them out and throwing them onto an outbound bus headed for home. 'Here goes nothing,' she thought as she went down on her knees.

"I know I haven't talked much to you Higher Power types before," she whispered and looked up at the crucifix above the altar.

"…I mean I fight for the world all the time and I just need… Well I need to get some things off my chest," she said with a small smile. She started to speak in more in haltering words as she looked down.

"You must think I'm the biggest hypocrite right now. I mean you being the last one I turn to, but I'm afraid… truly afraid right now. I mean I find out that I'm in love with my best friend… you know like in love-love… oh and I'm also a vampire now, don't worry the good kind and… but I am a vampire, I can't deny that. I was dying and I couldn't die without telling Willow how much I love her, now I may never have the chance. Guess mentioning I'm gay will round off the list, eh?"

'There I admitted it again,' she thought to herself and looked back up.

"I know it's asking a lot but could you please look out for my friends. You know just keep them safe. I know they don't need me as much as they once did. But would you please just keep them safe for all the times I've saved all of Creation and all that? I'd think you owe me that much and sorry that I'm probably about to wreck your house…" Buffy she added and then stopped as she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Looking up her eyes went wide, standing there with her green hood pushed back and a tired but shocked look on her face. When she saw that familiar and beautiful face framed by silver locks she quickly turned away however trying to cover her face with her arm.

"You… you… love… love me?" Willow stammered standing above her with her hand on her shoulder and Buffy felt warm for the first time in days.

* * *

><p>Willow lowered herself to the ground by the side of the church, breathing heavily as it had taken all of her strength to keep levitating from rooftop to rooftop. Seeing a fancy silver sports-car outside the church she furrowed her brow. 'Right who else was sticking their nose in now?' She thought.<p>

Slipping along the outer walls of the church she found the heavy wooden doors open and inside she saw candles blazing all over. There was a petite person in a suit and coat kneeling at the altar. Trying to step as silently as she could, she pushed her hood back with her green eyes scanning the church. This place stunk of magic but it was unfocused, sort of just hovering in the air waiting to be taken.

She stopped and tried to listen to the girl who seemed to be praying at the altar. Well not really praying more like confessing and asking for a favor. Little snippets of the girl's plea drifted through her mind. "I mean I fight for the world all the time…" drifted into her mind in a sweetly familiar voice and she gulped.

Her entire body trembling and her heart beating so hard that she felt it was trying to burst out of her chest. The girl kneeling at the altar kept going. "…you know like in love-love," she heard and couldn't help but to smile then it came like a punch to the gut. "I'm a vampire. I was dying and I couldn't die without telling Willow how much I love her. Now I may never have the chance…" Buffy went on and she was now standing almost right behind her seeing the Slayer's pointy ears.

'Oh my god what has she done,' Willow thought and put her hand over her mouth, aside from the pointed ears she could sense a great change in her friend. 'Hold on she loves me?' she thought her face softening and her eyes glistening. She stopped and leaned against the pews, listening to her friend make her confession before pleading with whomever might be listening to please protect her friends. 'Am I really good enough for her?' she thought to herself as she waited for Buffy to finish her plea. Gently putting her hand on her friend's shoulder she steeled herself as she met icy blue eyes.

"You… you… love… love me?" she stammered looking down at her friend then recoiled a little as Buffy tried to hide her face. She saw Buffy's eyes widen and then the Slayer turned away from her.

"Don't look at me Willow please," Buffy pleaded hiding her face in the crook of her elbow, trying to blindly push the red head away.

"You… you died….and you got embraced… because of me?" Willow asked trying to gently pull Buffy's arm away from her face, the Slayer nodding her head.

"And you love me?" she asked again and the blonde girl nodded as she managed to coax her into looking up at her. She saw the icy blue eyes, pointed ears almost elf-like and her lips clamped together hiding her fangs.

"I'm so sorry," Buffy sobbed while pulling herself up to her feet, still shorter then her red headed best friend, nothing would ever change that. "Please don't be mad, please don't hate me. I was doing something stupid and trying to be smart and it sort all went to piece and then I was so cold and all I could think of was you," she tried to explain to the witch everything that had happened

Willow looked into Buffy eyes, their frosty blue color drawing in her own green orbs. Then she felt the energy surge inside her again. Her relief to hear that Buffy loved her more than life itself was replaced by a maelstrom of conflicting emotions as she felt her control slipping.

"Willow, please. Not now," Buffy pleaded seeing her friend tense up. Putting her strong hand on the girls shoulder trying to calm her down, but it only made it worse. "I don't want to hurt you, but I need you to be strong for me. Things are about to get bad and I need you. I need my Willow!" she said with such urgency in her voice that Willow deflated like a balloon.

Taking in a few ragged breaths Willow steadied herself and Buffy wrapped her arms around her friend. "Look I know we've both done stupid stuff okay," she whispered into the red witch's ear.

Willow's eyes went wide. What had Buffy see her do? What did she know? She felt the panic rising up in her but then she felt the Slayer's strong hands rubbing her back.

"Don't worry Willow, we've both been very confused and done stuff we regret," she whispered and then she heard Willow's throbbing heartbeat. Tightening her grip on the red haired girl inhaling her scent she started noticing a lot of new things about her best friend now that her senses were heightened. Things like how nice Willow smelled, like how soft her skin was and how silky her hair was. How she'd make the cutest little noises when she was hugged. More worryingly she could also keenly sense her strong pulse that was quickening rapidly, making her fangs itch.

"Buffy you're… hurting me," Willow managed to squeak out and Buffy let go of her right away. The witch stumbled backwards and away from her friend.

"So wait… you're an undying now?" she asked seemingly getting past the girl professing her love for her before God and whatever other deity within earshot.

"Yeah…. Sort of… got into a messy situation," Buffy sheepishly answered and flashed Willow a look at her new fangs. "They were just too many of them and it was just me," she said, reliving the pain of being rammed through the shoulder with a stake and left to bleed out on Luna's kitchen floor.

Willow's eyes grew wider and her face grew sad. She had left Buffy all alone and now she was a vampire, well undying, but the technicalities were almost the same. Stepping closer she tilted her head to examine the pearly white fangs. "Do they hurt?" she asked at a loss for what else to say.

"Just when I try to bite my lip," Buffy admitted with a shy little smile. "It's sort of the ears that took most getting used to," she said, and Willow unable to help herself, reached out and touched them.

"I think their cute," she shyly admitted and Buffy let out an audible moan when Willow's pale fingertips traced the shape of her ears. "So you know how you said you loved me?" the red headed witch purred still playing with Buffy's ears as the Slayer whimpered and bared her fangs as if trying to feed.

"Uh uh?" she mumbled in a reply totally lost to the sensation of Willow playing with her surprisingly sensitive ears.

"Well, you said we've both done stupid stuff and you know we are probably going to have a lot of fights in the future," Willow went on realizing she'd never have this much power over her willful friend ever again.

"Yes…." Buffy hissed and started to kiss Willow's wrists, her mind caught between her love for her friend and the lust she was feeling.

"So I sort of love you in that 'oh let's get a Volvo and look at houses' kind of way too," Willow admitted and looked into Buffy's wide eyes. The undying Slayer was baring her fangs and breathing heavily. She felt her tongue on the soft skin of her wrists and realized that she might have pushed things a bit too far. "Buffy?" she asked in a very small voice as she felt herself pushed at inhuman speed against the wall underneath the crucifix.

"Willow I love you, but don't ever do that again," Buffy groaned out realizing that her friend's blood was calling out to her so loudly that she could almost see the veins in her neck.

Willow raised an eyebrow at the Slayer and then put her hand on the girl's chest and with her sweetest smile. "Oh don't worry Buffy I don't need protecting," she said sweetly and playfully pushed the Slayer away from her with her magic.

Buffy stumbled backwards at the magical push Willow had given her and her mind seemed to clear a little with the distance between them. She reached down and fingered the spot where Willow had touched her and then unbuttoned her blouse teasingly for the witch to see a bit more pale flesh. "Oh little Willow the Witch all grown up uh?" she asked with a playful smile on her face.

"That's me," Willow giggled and all of a sudden she didn't feel the pressure of pushing at the back of her eyes anymore. With an exhilarated giggle she pushed herself off the floor and up into the air, floating up high and planning on landing right in front of Buffy, but the Slayer was gone in a blur. Looking around Willow spotted her perched on top of confessional booth grinning like the Cheshire cat from in Alice in Wonderland.

"Going to have to do better than that witchy-poo!" she called out and her laughing friend flung herself into the air, once again coming up empty as she gingerly landed on the now empty spot, struggling to find her balance before trying to spot her friend again.

"You get a kiss if you catch me!" Buffy called out, laughing joyfully, now lounging on one of the church pews.

"Tempting, but this is just so much fun," Willow laughed as she launched herself across the church again and never before had magic come this easy to her. She landed by the bench where Buffy had been stretched out and again found it empty.

"Maybe I just want to kiss you?" she heard Buffy whispered into her ear as Willow felt herself being spun around. "Willow, I've done some stupid stuff but I promise to spend all my life making it up to you," she whispered her icy blue eyes looked into Willow's green orbs.

"Hey… I'm no saint…. Either…" Willow stammered almost like if she didn't want to be outdone in the I-have-done-stupid-stuff sweepstakes. Then Buffy simply tilted her backwards, smiled down at her lovingly and pressed pale lips against hers.

Willow wrapped herself around her Slayer and ran her fingers through those soft blonde locks as she couldn't resist running her tongue over those pearly white fangs. She felt Buffy tense up and then relax as the kiss got deeper and her head started to spin.

Both girls where in heaven, but then reality came crashing in as Giles burst into the church, his sword drawn and sporting a nasty cut on his cheek. His coat was covered in dust as he came to a stop in front of the girls that were still kissing.

"Good, congratulations, now come with me," he blurted out, taking the girls by the hand and dragging them back to the car.

"Giles… Giles we're sort of having a moment here," Buffy tried to protest as Willow just blushed bright red at being caught smooching.

"No time for moments. I ran into a couple of your demonic cousins while checking around the church," he said and poked his head out the doors, looking both ways before leading them to the car.

"So? You took care of them right? Also you've got to tell me when you all of a sudden became Zorro by the way," Buffy joked not seeing the problem with a few passing vampires. Then she felt Willow clutching her shoulder and pointing at up the street.

A writhing mob off vampire and undying alike led by Largo's goons were marching on the church. What freaked her out is that they were marching without as so much as a sound or a shouted insult in their direction, almost like they were being driven. Looking up to see the oncoming horde she frowned and then looked up.

"Right… about now," she muttered and right on queue lightning split the sky and it started to rain down hard. "Yep it's an evil lair," she joked pulling her sort sword from her back as she tried to push Willow behind her. The red headed witch just shook her head and took up a stance right next to her love.

"From here on out it's you and me, side by side, got it?" she pointedly asked the Slayer who couldn't help but to grin at the full force of the resolve face now being used on her.

"You and me to the end," Buffy nodded and kissed Willow on the cheek as she looked up at Giles who was giving her a proud look. "What do you say? The twenty on the left for you Giles?" she asked him and he chuckled only to be cut off by the sound of a manhole covered being flung open.

"Oh bloody spare me the Charge of the Light Brigade dramatics!" a familiar British voice muttered as Spike crawled out of the sewers followed by Xander. No sign of Alfeo or Anya though, Buffy noted.

"Spike!" Willow exclaimed happily hugging the vampire. "Oh Xander!" she added as she also hugged the grinning young man.

"Ermm guys... Angry mob of evil doers marching zombie-like towards us and it's raining," Buffy tried to break up the love fest as lightning split the sky above them. Then she could hear helicopters and a bright spotlight shone on Largo's group and she heard Alfeo speaking through a bullhorn as robes dropped down next to them and a dozen or so heavily armored undying propelled down, heavy boots splashing as they hit the wet ground. Two of Alfie's Dirty Dozen raising their visors and Buffy found herself grinning up at Abbot and Costello.

"Glad you could join us boys," she told them and as always they fondly smiled at her.

"Right lets we've got guys and they've got guys, this has gone all very Helms Deep on us," Xander quipped in a reference to the Lord of the Rings last stand which caused Willow, Giles and surprisingly Spike to groan as Alfeo's voice blared across the streets.

"Listen to me. It doesn't have to come to this. You've been played for fools by Victor Largo. Lay down your weapons and we can find peaceful way to end to all this," the cultured man tried at least to end it, but his reply came in the form of a blind charge led by Largo's foot soldiers. Buffy could see, even from yards away that the undying Royal was afraid, not of them but of something else. It was almost as if something was driving their enemies forward.

"So much for diplomacy," she muttered and jumped over the hood of the car, sword in one hand and stake in the other. Her suit soaking wet now and clinging to her body, she raised the sword in the air thinking how cliché she was about to sound. "For the Prince!" she shouted as the group of Largo's frantic followers reached her, she spared a moment to wonder what had driven them to such fear as to rush them like this. She smoothly ran the first undying she met through with her sword causing his blood to spill out on the wet ground and then flow towards the church. This was going to get bloody.

* * *

><p>Watching on monitors from his office Victor Largo frowned as he felt the chilling presence of the robed figure appear behind him with his Amber Nectar rippling in its goblet at the beings arrival.<p>

"Is this necessary? My men will get slaughter," he protested. The promise of unlimited power had rang so sweet when the being had first contacted him, offering power and influence in return for some small favors.

"I need my river of blood Largo," said the voice from underneath the hood, sounding closer than before and more feminine. The apparition somehow seeming more solid this time as it stood behind him. "Your men will provide it," the voice chuckled. "Clever girl…" it muttered watching a blurry image of Buffy slice one of Largo's into ribbons, spilling even more blood.

"Cheated death again… that's twice now you blond slut," the voice muttered with a slender finger touching the screen. "No matter. I will bend your witch's mind to my will and you will fall on your own sword before I am done," she spat at the screen and then with a rumble she was gone. Leaving Largo to watch as his men got sacrificed for the sake of his schemes.

Fuming at the indignity of being ordered about some lackey he picked up his phone and dialed the number he loathed having to call. The phone rang twice before the other end picked up and he spoke. "It's Largo. Have four of your men here within the hour. Yes I'll pay the normal price," he said looking at the spot where the hooded figured had appeared and vanished from before he hung up.

**To be continued in… Chapter 13: The River of Blood… **


	14. Chapter 13: River of Blood

_Sorry this took so long, holidays and all :) This is version 2 as the upload process as usual ruined the scene breaks._

**Chapter 13: River of Blood**

The rain was falling harder and the fighting had turned into brutal hand to hand combat on the square in front of the church. Stepping around a clumsy attack that sent the demonic vampire stumbling face forward, Buffy calmly staked it in the back, dust scattering on the rain soaked ground. Having thrown off her coat when it became to waterlogged she stalked up to her next target, sword in one hand dripping with blood and her trusty stake in the other. Another burst of lightning made her white fangs and icy eyes stand out, her hair wet and clinging to her back and shoulders.

'This isn't right,' Buff thought as she deftly dodged a razed Undying goon trying to rush and clubbed him in the back of the head with the hilt of her sword.

The whole scenario smelled of a set up and she'd been in enough of those in her short life to spot one. Glancing to her side she saw Spike happily cut loose on the zombie like mob that was trying to get to the church.

Even Xander was holding his own quite well but she could spot Giles making sure her friend didn't get into too much trouble. A sharp blow from a police style baton to her shoulder snapped her back to reality. Falling to one knee she raised her sword above her to block the next blow. Struggling to push her attack away she had her fears confirmed. Someone or something was driving these guys forward.

„Get away from her!" she heard Willow yell and a green blast slammed her adversary into the ground. She looked up to see Willow standing above her green energy crackling around her hands.

„Protective type, huh?" she couldn't bite back the joke as Willow offered her a pale hand and she took it, causing green sparks to jump between their fingers. The Witch just smiled at her and hauled the Slayer to her feet.

"You knew that silly," she said as the fighting had seemed to shift away from them. Looking down Buffy sniffed and saw tiny rivulets of blooding being washed with the rain water towards the church.

"Willow... are you seeing that?" she asked and it looked like the blow was purposefully flowing towards the church somehow.

"Yes... not good," the Witch muttered, but before they could investigate it closer the fighting shifted around their way again.

"Oh for the love of..." Buffy shouted spinning around with blurring speed stabbing one of Largo's lumbering goons through the gut and then pushing him off her sword. The smell of blood was getting stronger and she found herself almost wanting to lick the blade.

"Buffy stop that!" Willow chastised her and she couldn't stop from smiling like she'd just been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Then the Witch raised her hand sending a green bolt flying across the Slayer's shoulder blasting the head of a demonic vampire that had tried to rush her from behind.

"Some first date uh?" Buffy joked while grabbing Willow by the arm and dragging her to the church.

"Hey fighting is that way!" Willow protested as she was lifted up off her feet and dragged behind the undying slayer racing towards the church.

"Spike and Giles can handle that. I'm starting to think this is just the distraction," Buffy explained, stopping at the church doors. They were shut and when she tried to push them open she felt a shock going up her arms. "Oh mother..." she almost cursed but stopped herself when she saw Willow frowning at her.

"Knew it!" she exclaimed and pulled out her cell. No signal, though. Typical.

"What's going on?" Willow asked, not having been filled in on the text that Jacobella had brought to them earlier. She watched Buffy who seemed to glance about and she could almost hear the wheels turning in the blonde girl's head. She couldn't help but smile a little because her girlfriend did look cute when being super smart.

"Big Bad, coming, here!" the Slayer boiled her thoughts down to keywords pointing at the ground.

The ground started to rumble and Buffy threw her shoulder against the church doors. They wouldn't budge and she looked around. "Giles we need to push them back!" she shouted but couldn't be heard over the fighting. "Oh just perfect. Willow we've been had and I can't get this door..." she was cut off by a loud crackling and then door blew off its hinges.

"A little warning," she shouted with ears ringing with Willow just giving her an adorable little 'I'm sorry' grin.

A sharp gust of wind blew out of the church and Buffy could smell something she couldn't quite put her finger on. It resembled the scent of dead flowers... Getting to her feet, she looked at Willow who had somehow pulled a slender sword seemingly from nowhere. Looking at her witchy friend with a look of you got to teach me that girl she held her sword in front of herself as they stepped inside.

"I've got a bad feeling..." she couldn't even finish as the door magically put itself together behind them.

"... bout this," she muttered as all the candles had been blown out and Willow raised her hand with a small green sphere glowing in it.

"What kind of batteries do you take?" Buffy joked and Willow just poked her tongue at the Slayer. The undying Slayers eyes seemed to shine in the light and she sniffed the air and baring her fangs. Willow couldn't help but to stare with a rather coy look on her face.

When they where half way up the aisle, they heard clapping and when they looked at the source of the sound it was gone.

"Oh not cool," Buffy muttered as now laughter echoed in the church and all the candles flared back to life blinding them both for a moment or two. "Hey stop that!" she shouted in anger blinking her eyes to refocus them.

"It's so cute that you two finally managed to get together," a raspy feminine voice said. As Buffy's eyes refocused she saw a hooded figured standing at the altar facing away from them. Not wanting to trade barbs, Buffy was off in a blur of movement. Sprinting towards the figure at dazzling speed, swinging her sword over her head in an arch she was just going to slice the bitch in two and be done with it. The next thing she heard was her sword digging into the floor under the force of her own swing.

"What the?" she asked and then felt herself being flung back. As she looked up, she saw the robed figure standing about three feet away from where it had been previously.

'I can see my house from here...' she thought as this just felt so unreal and then she came crashing down onto the pews.

Willow watched Buffy sail through the air and fought the urge to rush to her aid. Instead she steeled herself and pointed her sword at the figure.

"Right... who are you?" she asked, eyes overflowing with green energy, the air around her literally crackling as sparks danced around her slender blade.

"Oh this is just too rich," the figure laughed but didn't seem to acknowledge the Red Witch´s stance. "You really have no clue do you?" she asked sounding almost surprised. Pulling back her hood revealing a face half covered with a silvery mask. Just seeing the woman caused Willow to feel physically ill. Not that she was that horrendous but she just had this sense of wrongness about her. Almost like there was more to her that your mind just didn't want to process. The red headed witch started to get a raging head-ache, she could sort of see a dark shape flowing around the woman if she looked hard enough. The nerd in her felt it was sort of like playing a video game on low-res knowing you're missing out on a lot of details.

"You shouldn't be here" Willow blurted after seeing the half concealed face of the woman standing before her. All her senses were shouting at her that this being shouldn't be here, not in this church, in this city, not this plane of existence. Still she couldn't shake the feeling she was staring into a dark mirror of things that could be. Her mind was racing as she tried to process what she was seeing and sensing: The woman was her, well not in the sense of evil time traveling her, but they looked so much alike.

"Oh Willow Rosenberg, Champion of the Western Coven, the Red Witch, you really don't know do you?" the woman asked laughing. "Let me give you the short version: 500 hundred years ago a spell was..."

"... cast granting great power to a sole witch as to counterbalance the Council's Slayer," Willow finished off sounding almost bored realizing that would explain the similarities she was seeing. After all, the genetic dice could only be cast so many times in a generation.

"I know that part, but that doesn't explain you breaking down dimensional walls to get here," she said, side stepping carefully closer to Buffy who was groaning after the blast she'd taken. She was talking and trying to give Buffy time to heal up and her friends outside time to finish of Largo's goons so they could come to her rescue.

"Oh you see little Red Witch. That is only a part of the story. I was meant to have your power, but the Slayer of my time was unwilling to finalize the arrangement," the woman started stalking towards them. "I took her," she laughed and Willow glanced down at Buffy seeing a piece of the broken church pew was sticking out of her side.

"You... took her?" Willow asked as she they started to circle each other. Sizing each other up and Willow could feel the wrongness radiating of the Dark Witch standing before her.

"Yes and for it the Covens cast me out. Cast me beyond this world, but the power... the power never went away. It called to me across the vast gulf of nothingness that separates the worlds," the dark being explained.

"So... the anger... the lack of control," Willow asked and wonder if she even stood a chance against this woman.

"Just me nudging you into the right state of mind little witch," the Dark Witch chuckled. "It was quite fun, but then again corrupting the pure always is," she went on.

"You... Have done bad things," Willow half growled. "You- you made me... Do those things..." they eyes locked and matching green orbs, Willow's pure and glowing, the woman's without a hint of white in them anymore just blood shot red and green.

"Oh no little witch that was all you. But yes, your anger and your rage whenever you were around your beloved Slayer. That was all me!" she giggled almost girlishly.

"But yes I've done bad things. I've watched cities burn and bathed in blood just to get here and by the time you realize that this sentence has been way too long it will all be too late because I'll already be in your mind," she said and Willow froze her sword dropping from her hand.

"Hey… what did you do to me?" she screamed and tried to move. She was panicking at not being in control of her own body after having spent so much time controlling her emotions and powers.

"All too easy. Did you really think this would come down to some epic battle of magic little Witch?" the Dark Witch asked almost shocked as she stalked up to Willow and forced the girl to stand up straight.

"My dear... Magic is all about the will and the word," she said almost like she was lecturing. "And your Will has been found lacking," she stated and stalked over to where Buffy was trying to get to her feet by propping herself up on her sword.

"Oh no you don't. I knew Largo hadn't managed to kill you, but bravo on going to the dark side like you did," the woman put her foot against the piece of the piece of wood sticking out of the Slayer's side and stepped on it.

"Leave... her alone..." Willow managed to say through gritted teeth as Buffy set her jaw firmly while trying to push the woman away.

"Oh no you're going to watch little witch," The Dark Witch laughed and held her palm spread out over Buffy's head and it started to glow almost like it was sunlight. "Did you know that fledgling undying can take up to several months to become strong enough to stand direct sunlight," she asked and Buffy tried to look away from the light.

"Don't you hurt her!" Willow cried out but found herself rooted to the ground.

"Oh I do believe she loves you Slayer. I wonder if I can make her love me," the Dark Witch teased Buffy while pushing her glowing hand closer to the Slayer's face. Still the girl remained defiant. She let out a grunt as she kept trying to push herself of the ground, but the light was so bright and it was starting to hurt her eyes.

"Bite me..." she spat out and tried to punch at the Dark Witch blindly. Buffy felt her skin get warmer and warmer, covering her face with her arm did nothing and it was like her strength was being drained from her with the punch ending up being more of a weak swat in the Dark Witch´s general direction.

"Oh her essence tastes good," the Dark Witch said lewdly. Buffy, unable to fight back, let out a strangled cry. The magical sunlight along with whatever draining the witch was doing was sapping her strength.

"Get... away from HER!" Willow roared when she saw Buffy collapse to the floor. Then with all her force she managed to break whatever spell was holding her in place. An explosive cone of force radiated out from her knocking over pews and candles in a shockwave of emerald luminescence.

"Uh?" the Dark Witch asked stunned at the raw display of power from the red headed witch turned away from Buffy long enough for the Slayer to breathe.

"You're so screwed," the Slayer coughed weakly and then with what strength she had she kicked up and into the woman's stomach sending her sprawling backwards into Willow's path.

"How dare you!" the red headed witch roared, pushing herself of the ground with a burst dust and debris spreading out around her as she rose up into the air, her arms held out with crackling sparks dancing between her fingertips.

"Oh I dare," the Dark Witch gathering her wits about her as Buffy kept trying to get up behind her. Willow's nemesis rose up into the air so they were face to face.

Willow struck first and blasted her opposite number into the pews. Magic crackling between her fingers as the Dark Witch hauled herself to her feet. Shaking her head she angrily hurled a ball of fire at the floating which. Willow dodged but it caught her on the arm, burning holes in her coat and causing her to cry out. Blindly hurling more energy at the Dark Witch she managed to catch her on the shoulder sending her flying into the corner of the church.

"I liked this coat," she muttered and then looked up into the ceiling. Muttering faster and faster under hear breath.

"Now say goodnight." She grinned as the support columns crumbled and then with a might crash the wall and ceiling came crashing down on the Dark Witch.

"Did- did we win?" Willow heard Buffy say from behind her and instantly the green glow was gone from her eyes and she lowered herself down to the ground. The Slayer was clutching the piece of wood sticking out off her side and her face was red like she'd been out in the sun too long.

Her question was answered with a rumbling sound and the rain that was pouring in through the hole in the church roof and wall stopped.

"Guess not," she grunted and stumbled as Willow raced to catch her. She put her pale hand now covered with green veins on the wound. "This has to come out before I can heal you," she told Buffy who just nodded. Smiling at her best friend and potential girlfriend she wrapped her hand around the sharp piece of wood. "Love you," she whispered and then yanked it out.

Buffy let out a muffled grunt not wanting to scream out and panic her friend. Throwing the broken piece of wood away Willow quickly pressed both her hands on the wound but nothing happened, furrowing her brow she pushed herself harder, but still nothing.

"Work… work…. Work…." She muttered as Buffy's eyes started to close, looking down she saw her hands were covered in bright red blood. The undying Slayer's body going limp in her lap she franticly thought what she could do.

'Undying can't die can they? That would be totally contradictory and unfair,' she thought to herself, seeing Buffy's sword by her side she picked it up and pressed her palm against the razor-sharp blade. "Motherf…" she cursed as the blood started to flow from the cut.

"Buffy I'm sorry, but this is the only way," she whispered and while cradling the Slayer's head against her she pressed her bleeding palm against the blond girl's lips.

"No…" Buffy mumbled weakly as the first drops of Willow's blood hit her lips. "Willow no don't…" she protested but Willow with her resolve face out in full force.

"Hush and drink already," she urged the blond girl on and she felt the Slayer weakly take hold of her arm.

Buffy moaned and Willow felt the Slayer's tongue licking the cut and then the sucking noise steadily became greedier and louder.

"Buffy… that's… that's enough… okay…" Willow stammered as she saw the hole in her friend's side close up and the girl's icy blue eyes were wide open with her pupils reduced down to inky black pinpricks. "Eep!" the red headed witch yelped out as the reenergized Slayer forced her to the floor and straddled her. Her lips red with blood and she was licking them sensually.

"Oh Willow…. Willow…" she moaned and crushed her lips against the red heads while pinning the witch's hands above her head, safely out of reach. "You're mine now… all mine," she purred and Willow's green eyes were wide as she felt sharp fangs against her neck.

"Buffy… please snap out of it…" she whimpered and she heard the other girl giggling in her ear. Not having seen her friend so possessive or aggressive before thinking that this was some new aspect brought on by the embrace. It just turned out that her girlfriend was teasing her.

"Don't worry I'm not going to bite you, I just want you to say whose you are," Buffy whispered into her witch´s ear and then licked her earlobes. "Think of this as payback for the ear thing earlier," she added.

"What… what you want me to say?" Willow asked as she felt the comfortable weight of Buffy's petite body on top of hers.

"Say Buffy Summers is my girlfriend now and I love her," the blonde undying Slayer whispered in the red headed witch´s ear.

"You first…" Willow cheekily giggled and put her hands on Buffy's hips pulling the Slayer against her.

"Oh… okay… Willow Rosenberg is my girlfriend now and I love her," the blonde slayer whispered into the witch´s ear. "Your turn…" she purred and pressed herself against the red head.

"Buff… Buffy Summers… is my girlfriend and… oh jinkies… I love her," Willow managed to squeak out as she felt Buffy's hands all over her body. Willow arched of the floor of the church as Buffy started to suck at the soft skin on her neck, their hands roaming all over each other's bodies. A soft ahem broke them out of their impromptu make out session and both girls looked up at Alfeo standing a few feet away trying not to look at them directly.

"It seems that we've won a momentary respite," Alfeo said as Buffy sheepishly got off her witch and pulled the red haired girl to her feet. She could see Giles and Spike poking at the rubble that Willow had made when she brought down the west corner of the church on top of her foe.

"Yeah these types never stay down long," Buffy commented as she saw Xander come running in the shattered doors, a blood soaked bandage around his head and his right arm held against his body.

"Guys you might want to see this," he said pointing his finger over his shoulders as Buffy let Willow who now seemed drained lean on her as she made her way to the doors. "That can't be good right?" Xander asked using his staff as a makeshift crutch.

"Oh I'd say that ranks pretty high on the oh-shit meter," Buffy muttered as a pillar of blood red light could be seen rising up from the down town skyscraper Largo occupied. "Pretty freaking high," she said and pulled Willow closer to her. What the hell was that pompous fool up too?

* * *

><p>In Largo's tower, the hooded figured stood in a swirl of red energy as the undying lent back in his chair with a grin on his face.<p>

"You sorry excuse for a…" the woman tried to curse but then another bolt of energy raced through her.

"You really thought I was going to throw it all away did you?" Largo asked and nodded for one of the four hooded undying standing around circle binding the Dark Witch in place.

"You really thought I was going to let you just bathe my city in blood after all that I've done to make it mine and free from the vermin?" he asked and another bolt shot through the ancient witch.

"You… we had a deal Largo, we had a DEAL!" the woman screamed at him.

"Yes we did. Until you asked me to sacrifice MY people to your twisted cause," he said and nodded again and the being started to break up into tiny red shards of energy.

"I was willing to put up with your madness while you said you could take the blond bitch out, but now that you have shown you can't you're just another headache I don't want to deal with," he explained as the Dark Witch broke apart.

"This isn't over LARGO. While that bitch lives it isn't OVER!" the Dark Witch screamed as she started to break into pieces and a huge column of red energy streamed up into the sky through the skylight above Largo's office.

"No this was over the moment you started teleporting into my office in the same spot every time," Largo snorted as the four hooded undying turned to leave.

Sipping from his goblet he pressed a button on his intercom. "Miss Williams request a session of the council please. I think it's high time we have ourselves a crowning," he said and leaned back in his chair.

* * *

><p>It was a bruised and battered group that gathered at Alfeo's mansion just as the sun was peaking above the horizon. Anya was fussing over Xander's various cuts and bruises while Giles napped on a couch. Spike in turn was being tended to by Jacobellla. Even though he didn't need any attention with his cuts having healed up already the young undying woman still fussed over him. Buffy sat on another couch with Willow's head resting in her lap. The witch´s hand was bandaged after having fed the undying slayer her blood to heal her wounds.<p>

"Alfie what the hell just happened?" Buffy asked as Luna dutifully brought her a glass of Amber Nectar. The undying woman gave the blonde girl a wishful smile at seeing the red haired girl sleeping in her lap. Buffy just smiled back at her friend almost if trying to say: You will find your Willow one day.

"Well it seems that Victor Largo outplayed whatever being wanted your girlfriend's power," Alfeo said sitting behind his reclaimed desk reading through a huge pile of reports.

"Yeah thought so, I mean after reading what Jae found out I thought we'd be in for a hell of a fight," Buffy stated as she put her glass down, her face still a bit pink after being tortured by the Dark Witch´s sunlight spell.

"She was rushed..." Willow muttered sleepily from her resting place on Buffy's lap as she turned over. "I could feel it, she wasn't ready at all. Why else would she try the mental whammy instead of just blasting us both to atoms?"

"You think Victor manipulated her into acting sooner then she had planned?" Alfeo asked as the red headed witch nodded her head.

"It would fit with his methods, he's always been a scheming weasel who doesn't like to bow to anyone," Luna spoke up from where she was arranging Buffy's weapons and then pulled a blanket over Giles. "Also he does not like to be played and he was most certainly being played," she added.

Buffy couldn't help but to smile at Luna as Willow got up from her lap and stretched. Running a hand through her unruly red and silvery hair she stalked over to the map of the city that had been hung on the wall.

"Buffy stop looking at my butt and get over here," she said without turning around and Buffy sheepishly got up from the couch and walked over to stand next to the witch. Buffy leaned in and her nostrils flared at the smell of Willow.

"Please tell me you got a plan?" she whispered into the red head's ear.

"No I was hoping you had one," Willow whispered back out of the corner of her mouth. "I did my job, sort of, when I saved your butt," she muttered.

"Gee thanks also it's your butt too now," Buffy couldn't resist teasing just a little as she looked at the map.

"Look- I said we were together but you've got some serious explaining to do once we sort this out," Willow replied quietly and glanced over at Luna who was talking in hushed tones with Alfeo. Buffy gulped a little, not looking forward to having to explain how she'd been less the stellar in her promise to wait for Willow. "But that's later, right now you need to come up with something," the red headed witch turning her head to observe the blonde Slayer as she studied the map.

Buffy clasped her hands behind her back and looked up at the map with her icy blue eyes darting from side to side.

Willow kept studying the Slayer noticing the focused look on her pretty pale face and the speed of which her eyes moved. The blonde woman's jaw was set and every so often she'd close her eyes and mutter something under her breath and then shaking her. It was almost like she was running scenario after scenario through in her mind.

After closing her eyes for a long time and moving her lips silently almost Buffy snapped her shinning blue eyes open and snapped her finger.

"I got it," she exclaimed a bit too loudly, causing Willow who had been so absorbed in watching her girlfriend at work to step back a little, with the rest of the room jumping to attention.

"What is it Elisabeth?" Alfeo asked from behind his desk as Giles shook the cobwebs off and then curiously looked down at the blanket somebody had put over him before giving Luna a grateful smile.

"We can't attack him, it would just be a slaughter. We'd win but it would mean massive losses on all side. So we got to play him at this own game. He's probably called a meeting of that Council thingies right?" she asked turning and stalking over to the desk and now it was Willow's turn to admire the Slayer's round backside.

"Yes he did, not so long ago, how did you know?" Alfeo answered checking his computer for the latest updates.

"I'm just that damn good, okay? Better yet don't ask me how because it's **freaking** me out a bit," Buffy explained with a shrug as she leaned on her knuckles against the table. Her mind working faster than ever before or maybe she was just doing something she'd always been able to.

"He's going to call for a vote on putting him in power. Now that he's shown everybody he's willing to just outright kill those who stand in his way and has the power to do so right?" she asked and glanced at both Luna and Alfeo who both nodded in reply.

"Right then we got to get medieval on his ass. Alfeo, you guys are old as dirt right?" she asked with gleaming eyes.

"What do you mean by medieval Miss Summers?" Alfeo asked curiously raising his eyebrow.

"I mean if he declares himself Prince, gets the votes and I Say lets…" she trailed of moving in a blur to the weapons by the wall and pulled out her sword.

"Challenge him for the rule of the city?" she asked brandishing her sword while staring at Luna and Alfeo who were looking at her with dumfounded looks on their faces.

"What it won't work?" she asked and smiled at them trying hard to keep the sunny smile on her face because this was just about the only good idea she'd been able to come up with having run endless scenarios through her mind at a speed that scared the daylights out of her.

"Oh it will work, but it's not been done in hundreds of years," Luna explained. "Not to mention that you're well… still in baby teeth," she added with sly smile.

"But I can do it right? Unless Alfie wants to kick his ass?" Buffy asked and looked at the elder undying.

"You are in your right as an Undying to issue the challenge. It simply has not been done in living memory," Alfeo answered holding up his hands and Buffy couldn't resist quipping in.

"Cool!" she said with valley-girl cheerfulness rich on her face before turning serious again. "We go to the big council place meet up. Wait for Largo to make his move and then I walk in and invoke… well whatever it's called," Buffy laid out the very crude outline of her plan.

"The Gathering of the Council will take some time to arrange, as there are rituals and customs that must be followed. Also let us not forget that we just had a pitched battle in the streets so many Royals will stall the process for as long as possible to lick their wounds and maneuver into position," Alfeo explained and Buffy nodded and then turned to the rest of the group.

"I guess we've got a bit of downtime since everybody seems to be taking five, so nap time and meet again at noon?" she suggested and watched as Jacobellla dragged Spike out of the room with a grin on her face.

The group filtered out of the room save for Alfeo who kept working and then Buffy felt a hand on her shoulder. "Which is your room?" Willow whispered into her ear and Buffy felt her nostrils flare up again at the proximity to the red head.

* * *

><p>Buffy sat on the bed as she watched Willow wander around the room. She was glad that somebody, probably June, had tidied the place up. The bloody sheets were gone and so were the pieces of plywood that had been nailed over the windows.<p>

"Is this where you live now?" Willow asked while studying a bookcase with her back turned towards the Slayer. The red headed witch had been oddly distant since asking to see the room. Buffy felt like she'd definitely been tricked into showing the red head the room.

"I guess so… I mean I have talk to mom a little. I told her I'm staying on here because I got offered a job with Alfie," she answered and pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear.

Willow turned around and some of the green fire returned to her eyes as Buffy looked up and met it with a calm icy stare. They stared at each other for the longest time and in the end Buffy stood up and walked over to the red-head. Steeling her resolve and taking Willow's pale hands in hers she bowed her head.

"I slept with Luna twice. The first time it was to sort of see how it would feel to be with another girl. The second time because I was trying to recruit her to be a mole in her brother's camp," she explained in a hushed voice and as Willow was about to speak she cut her off. "Let me finish okay?" she asked and the red-head nodded.

"When I lay there dying all I could think about was you Willow," she admitted in a pained voice and wincing a bit. "Sure I thought about mom and Giles and everybody else, but I mostly just thought about dying without telling you how I feel," she stated and looked into the witch´s green eyes while squeezing her hand.

"I made a choice, I let Luna embrace me and the last thing I thought about as I fell into the darkness was you," she finished and stood there holding Willow's warm hands in her cold ones.

"I literally love you more than live and I know I messed up rather big, but…" Buffy tried to go on but she felt Willow's lips crushing against hers as the red-head eagerly wrapped her arms around the cold body of her lover.

"Shut up, just shut up okay," Willow managed to get out through the tears and sobs while clinging to the blonde woman. "I know you did this huge big thing for me okay, it's just going to take some getting used to okay," she whispered and rested her head on Buffy's shoulder.

Buffy wrapped her arms around Willow and the she felt her feet leave the ground. Looking down she saw herself hovering about a foot off the floor. When she looked up she was face to face with a smiling red-head. She noticed that the ever so sweet witch who had stolen her heart had levitated the her of the floor so they could be face to face.

"Cute trick," she managed to say her icy blue eyes locked on Willow's green orbs that were glowing ever so slightly.

"Never done that so easily before," Willow admitted smiling as she started twirl them around the room with a blissful smile on her face.

"You really love doing magic, don't you?" Buffy asked watching the red-heads peaceful face. Licking her lips she tried to suppress a shiver running down her spine at being so close to the other girl.

"I do and with you around it's so easy and…" Willow giggled as they bumped into the bed and Buffy fell backwards onto it with the witch landing on top of her, their noses pressing together and both of them giggling.

The giggling died out and they were left there, staring at each other as Buffy's warms started to roam over Willow's back. The red-head's breath caught in her throat as the blonde Slayer's roaming hands pulled her closer.

"Bu… Buffy…" Willow stammered seeing the blonde girl's pupils shrink down to the black inky dots and she felt herself falling into them.

"Yes Willow?" Buffy purred and started to pull the green sweater off the red-head witch who obediently raised her arms.

"You don't have… make me do anything," Willow managed to say causing the blonde to giggle and throw the sweater behind them.

"I'm not making you do anything," she teased and the red-head started stroking her cold face, leaning into the palms of Willow's hands she moaned.

"You're so cold," the red-head gasped and leaned down and pressed her cheek against Buffy's.

"Sort of comes with the territory, I guess," she whispered pale lips kissing a pale cheek, then down the witch's neck.

"Hungry?" Willow asked sweetly feeling fangs gracing her skin and she could sense Buffy's hunger and desire.

"A little…" Buffy sheepishly admitted and pulled away from the red-head's neck as Willow rose up like an angel on top of her, clad in only her bra now.

"You don't have to be shy about it…" Willow smiled down at her and Buffy stared hungrily up at the red-headed witch as she started undoing the bandage around her hand.

"Willow you don't have to…" Buffy started to protest as her love exposed the still fresh cut on the palm of her hand.

"Shush, I want to," she said firmly and clenched her fist forcing the flow of blood to start up again.

Holding her fist over Buffy's lips she watched the bright red drops of blood fall on the girl's pale lips with her tongue darting out to taste the precious nectar, her eyes snapped wide open and dark pupils dilated until they were just a pool of black ringed by a thin white line.

"Willow…" the blond whimpered, the hunger obvious in her voice. "Mo… more…" she stammered and with a small smile Willow unclenched her first and put her palm to Buffy's mouth.

"Take what you need," she whispered and felt Buffy's cold fingers wrap around her arm and then as the suction got greedier she moaned a little and Buffy smiled into the palm of her hand.

"I want all of you," Buffy drawled with her lips red with Willow's blood as she grabbed the girl's head and pulled her down for a searing kiss.

**To be continued…**

_The Author Speak's: Yep the DARK WITCH was a red herring, Largo is the main bad ass after all. This was originally supposed to be two chapters, but I merged them into one as a treat for you guys and it made more sense since the chapter takes place in one night._


	15. Chapter 14: Morning After

_The Author's Babble: Experimenting with a shorter chapter here. This is in an effort to get more of the story out faster, but also to ease the load on my beta-reader. This is the beta-read version btw oh and as this is the half way point I'd love to hear your thoughts._

**Chapter 14: Morning After**

Willow groaned and stretched herself out. Well tried at least, but she was pinned under something not so heavy but very soft. Blinking a few times to adjust her eyes to the dim light of the room, she looked over to the heavy drapes covering the windows of the room and then down at the blonde hair of her lover.

"Oh wow," she muttered as memories of the night _and_ early morning came flooding back to her. She flexed her free hand and it didn't stink, holding it close to her she could see just a faint pink line where there had been an ugly gash the night before.

"Yeah right the licking," she said to herself and the suppressed a giggle. Buffy had been very thorough with her tongue and it seemed that it had some healing properties as well. Willow thought it made sense after all since the Undying took embracing people and secrecy very seriously. Well, aside from that nut Victor Largo.

There was a knock on the door and Willow tried to shake Buffy's shoulder but the other girl seemed too worn out in every sense of the word and didn't stir. Sighing she managed to pull her arm from underneath the subtle body of her lover and wrapped a satin sheet around herself as she made her way to the door. Opening it just a crack she was met with a smiling face and hair redder than her own.

"Oh so you're the one all the bother has been about?" A thick Irish accented voice giggled and Willow couldn't help but to blush.

"I guess," she stammered, becoming very aware that she was butt naked with just a sheet wrapped around her body, offering up what little modesty it could to the still self-conscious young woman.

"Well I'm glad you two sorted yourself out. It was getting a bit tiresome having the girl moping about the mansion." June smiled at her and handed Willow a clothing bag containing what she guessed was another of those power-suits she loved seeing Buffy in.

"I'll lay it out for her," Willow promised the woman who gave her a knowing smile as the red-head's stomach grumbled as she realized she'd not eaten much.

"I'll get you something to eat dear. We're not all on an alternative diet here," June joked as Willow couldn't help but to smile thankfully at the woman. Closing the door again she stopped to fashion a quick toga out of her sheet before hanging up Buffy's new suit.

"What's with the Greek look?" Buffy asked from the voice, laying there naked and seemingly totally at ease with it.

"Eep!" Willow yelped having been too busy hanging and smoothing out the suit, spinning around her hands glowing before calming down seeing the giggling and very nude Slayer.

"Oooh I'm so putting a bell on you!" the red-head exclaimed and as she went back to hanging the new suit June had brought.

"Speaking of kittens; I saw you a few times you know at the Club," Buffy said from the bed, propped up on one elbow watching Willow freeze up.

"Oh…. Didn't know that you… where there," she stammered and kept her back to the blonde girl as her breathing got heavier and nerves threaten to overtake her.

"Been working for Alfie for a while now. You looked hot in that green corset," the blond Slayer admitted as the flushed red-head turned around.

"So you're not mad at me?" she stated growing wide eyed at the ease of how the Slayer was taking this.

"Oh I was pissed at the time, and even beat up some vamps so brutally that even Spike was impressed," the blonde replied with a raised eyebrow. "And even though I'm not down with you doing what you did, it's not like I did any better now is it?" she asked with a piercing look directed at the red-head, but trying to stay calm because she remember the hurt of seeing Willow with others.

"I never… I mean… I'm sorry?" Willow stammered, a bit unsure how to cope with Buffy's hard stare; it was downright frightening but also so intense that she felt like a deer caught in the headlights. Almost if those icy blue eyes could see right through her.

"Like I said, we'll probably fight loads later," Buffy said closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose. "But I don't want to fight right now. All I want to know is why me, why not some cute normal witch or girl like from the Club?" she asked slowly opening her eyes again.

"I… tried," Willow admitted sounding a bit ashamed as she walked over and sat on the bed. "I mean I really tried thinking that you'd never go for it and all that," she explained. "But whenever I was with one I always thought; this isn't Buffy," she managed to finish.

"We're messed up, huh?" Buffy asked and Willow felt arms wrap around her from behind and the distinct feeling of the other girl's breasts pressing into her back.

"Oh definitely, I mean unstable witch and an undying princess," she whispered leaning back against the stronger girl's embrace.

"Princess?" Buffy giggled in her ear and then kiss it as she started undoing the makeshift toga, exposing the paler girls smooth skin.

"Uh uh… I mean if your plan works you'll be… a Princess," she stammered before moaning at the feeling of Buffy's hand running down her body and finding its way between her legs.

"I like that! Say it again," Buffy whispered into the girl's ear with a predatory grin on her beautiful face while her fingers did their lewd task.

"Princess….." Willow let out a strangled moan as Buffy made sure that the red-head would not look at another girl for a long time as she put what she'd learned to practice.

"Good girl," she purred into the witch's ear as she pulled her down onto the bed with the other girl whimpering weakly and arching against her hand.

* * *

><p>Sometime later, Willow found herself in the Alfeo's study, paging through a rather heavy tome entitled The Royal Lines. She was dressed in borrowed clothing since she didn't dare risk going back to the coven just yet. The white sundress was a bit short on her and she filled out it out quite a bit better than Buffy did.<p>

Blowing an errand lock of grey hair out of her face she leaned back in the chair and groaned, rubbing her temples. She wondered how the hell Buffy thought she was going to pull this stunt off. Her girlfriend's new found brilliant mind- No she'd always been brilliant, she corrected herself, didn't seem to have taken in account that allies would be needed. This was politics, not slaying.

Banging her head against the heavy tome she wondered how she'd gotten to the point. The love making in the wee hours had been tender and explorative, two lovers learning each other, but then this morning had been different almost like Buffy was trying to show her who was boss, she was unsure of how she felt about that. Maybe her friend had changed more than she was letting on.

"Buffy you're such a bloody headache," she cursed silently into the pages of the tome and then heard a familiar chuckle as she raised her head with her green eyes flashing.

"Language Red, language," Spike looking no worse for wear said grinning down at her. His biggest fangy fan Jacobella was nowhere to be seen, probably locked away by Alfeo now if the old man hand any say in matters.

"Fuck off Spike," she told him with an impish grin as she looked up at the smug vampire who she remembered having threatened to neuter just before graduation.

"No can do luv. If I leave that gives you permission to do all sorts of nasty things to my privates. You do remember our deal right?" he replied without missing a beat.

"Hey that was done out of necessity you big dolt," Willow protested not being very proud of threatening the vampire so brutally but her friends, her Buffy had needed all the help they could get at the time.

"And I respect you more for it," the English born vampire replied holding up his hands in mock defense. "And I must admit you've been putting on a hell of a show these past few months."

"So... you and the Slayer eh?" he said with a wink.

"Oh like you didn't know," Willow shot back and stood up, still not eye to eye with the tall vampire in front of her. "You even teased me about it when I came to bully you into helping," she added.

"Well now that it's all done. How is she?" he asked with a huge smirk on his face while at the same time bracing for the slap which never came.

"God can't believe I'm telling you this, but it's good, but odd," she admitted and blushed a bit while rubbing her face with the palms of her hands.

"Oh do go on," her vampire ally urged her on with a lecherous smirk on his chiseled features.

"Oh piss off, it's just that well she's more grrry than I thought," Willow tried to explain it still not believing the conversation to be happening but in all honesty who else could she talk to you? Xander hell no, Anya yuck or Giles oh heaven´s no. The list was very short and she knew where she stood with Spike.

"Grry? You know for somebody who is being all grown up Red, you still manage to throw me," Spike laughed and this was rewarded with a slap on the shoulders.

"Shut up, now I mean that… oh can't believe I'm asking you this! Do all vampires try to dominate their lovers? I mean, Buffy isn't a vampire per-say but she sort of is now," she blurted out blushing furiously at admitting that Buffy had for a lack of a better word made her the Slayer's bitch.

There was a long silence, a bit too long as the bluntness of the red-head's statement sank in with the bleach blonde vampire.

"Well...? Say something already, laugh, joke, mock me, anything," Willow demanded getting a bit angry with the lack response.

"You fed her, didn't you?" the bleach blond Brit finally asked with a raised eyebrow and Willow squeezed her hands into tiny fists.

"A little," she admitted.

"Willingly?" he asked his eyes now studying her face now.

"Well, of course. Buffy would never take it from me," she protested not liking where this was going.

"Oh don't be so sure Red. So you willingly fed her your blood?" he asked again wanting to be absolutely sure.

"Yes, she needed it!" Willow replied her voice getting louder. "What has that to do with anything?" She asked feeling like she'd been caught making out by her dad.

"Humans," Spike shook his head. "Look, it's simple. You fed her and that now makes you her familiar, got it? She might not even understand what she's done, but to her you are now hers," he explained the best he could with a grin on his face. Somebody hadn't given the Slayer her copy of 'So You are a Creature of Night Now for Dummies'.

"Oh… so I'm what her meal ticket now?" Willow asked looking a bit shocked

"Oh don't be so daft!" Spike laughed. "This is still Saint Summers we're talking about here Red. She'll never admit or give into to that sort of thing. Still, blood is blood. Oh she'll fight it every step of the way, but to a small part of her, the part that is Undying now, you are hers. Body and soul," he tried to explain it again.

"So you're saying I'm stuck with her?" Willow asked her face blooming into an impish almost naughty grin.

"Stuck with me?" a new voice asked and Willow looked over Spike's shoulder at Buffy stepping into the study in her new pressed suit, taking a long sip from a coffee mug filled most likely with Amber Nectar.

"Just going over the finer points of vampire dating with Spike here," Willow quickly replied and glared at the vampire to shut up or face some green lightening.

"Well, he is the expert, but I'm not a vampire" Buffy said off-handedly wandering over to the bookshelves as Willow mouthed at Spike that they would "Talk later" and the vampire just nodded at her.

**To Be Continued… **


	16. Chapter 15: Reality Check

_The Author's Babble: The short chapter experiment rolls on, hope this is feeding the urge for my few proud readers. Thanks for your reviews __Antonia23 and __RainbowSmurfette. Of course my long suffering beta gets a thumb up of course. _In this chapter Buffy has to kick-butt and Willow and Luna have it out.__

**Chapter 15: Reality Check**

Buffy stood in front of the almost square shaped looking Undying. The man was built like a brick and seemed to have the intelligence of one too. His long brownish hair pulled back into a ponytail. She felt very out of place at what was essentially a biker's bar on the outskirts of the city, tugging at the sleeves of her expensive silk jacket she stared down the man again.

"So do I have your support?" she asked with Alfie standing a respectful distance behind her and with the twins flanking her.

Her eyes quickly darted to the bar where she saw Spike and Giles looking her way.

The two were doing their best to blend in with the local nightlife while pretending to drink the swill the place served up as beer as Giles had so eloquently put it.

"I don't know you Blondie and you're asking me take sides against Largo. You really must be from Southern California." The Undying snorted and took a long drink from his beer.

Buffy narrowed her icy blue eyes and leaned over the table until she was face to face with leader.

The undying man took a very generous look down her blouse, but she fought back to the urge to slam his head against the table.

Luna had called the rulers of the various groups in the city Royals, but the blond Slayer couldn't see anything Royalty-like at all.

Her red-headed girlfriend had done her part, as always, by compiling details on the various groups and individuals that could help her in the bit for power. The burly mountain of a man wearing biker leathers in front of her was creatively enough called Brock and lead a group of rough and tumble Undying who seemed to focus on being the muscle for other groups.

"Largo tried to start and all-out war. He kidnapped and probably killed the Prince and you're telling me you don't want some payback for that?" she asked and pointed to the still boarded up window from the unrest that had overtaken the city.

"It's good for business." Brock shrugged and took another look down her blouse. She raised her eyebrow at him.

"Eyes up here big boy," she told him almost growling. Apparently, reasoning with the man didn't help. Maybe it was time to show him that should turn him into a nice.

"Or what Blondie?" he asked and leaning back in his chair and smirking up at her.

"Oh screw this," she said and before he could even register it she grabbed him by the ponytail and rammed his face into the table a few times for good measure. Brock's men around the bar stood up but the Dynamic Duo and Alfie just shook their heads as Spike and Giles pushed away from the bar, both men sighing with almost comedic timing.

Lifting the undying Royals quickly healing face up, she got right in with her pert nose pressing against his bulbous one. Her eyes narrowed and she her voice spitting venom.

"Look - You're not stupid Brock." She sighed and rubbed her eyes before slamming her fist down on the table so hard the wood splintered.

"Largo is only out for Largo and you know it. He has showed that he doesn't need your hired muscle." She paused for effect and looked around the dingy dive of a bar with a theatrical flair.

"Trust me on this. He is not going to let a mongrel like you get any real power," she explained to him as his eyes came back into focus.

"You think you can take on Largo? Prove it Blondie," he spat at her, a few drops of blood landing on her face from his burst lip before it closed up.

Sighing dramatically she hauled him from his eat and hurled his hefty frame through the still unrepaired window. Grinning as she heard his body crash into the motorcycles back outside the dive she glanced at Alfie.

"Make sure the boys enjoy their drinks Alfie," she stated and the tall undying man just nodded.

They'd talked about it at length that she would take front and center with him providing intimidation and legitimacy to her cause. The idea was still to physically challenge Victor Largo at the Gathering now scheduled for the next moonless night.

It had been Willow's idea to set up the pretense of trying to put Buffy forward as a candidate had been agreed as the best cover for now and who knew it might even work. Give the girl access to a huge library of books on Undying Politics and History and trust her to come up with a plan.

Outside the dive bar the now very angry looking Brock threw of his jacket off and aimed a wild haymaker at Buffy's head as soon as she stepped through the broken window. Easily dodging the blow she delivered a sharp blow to his kidneys and came up with an elegant yet painful roundhouse kick to his chest.

She bit down hard as he caught her ankle in a steel-like grip and roughly pushing her away a few feet where she landed in a rather undignified heap.

"You think you can take me kid?" he asked stomping over to her where she was pulling herself to her feet.

"Oh I **know** I can take you," she replied with a feral grin as she delivered a sharp kick to his knees with all the blazing speed she now possessed. Her pearly fangs on full display and her ponytail trailing behind her.

"You weak little Drasnu pup!" he grunted at her and lunged at her football tackling her into the dirt. Using the ancient clan name for Alfeo's group from somewhere way back in the darkness of history. Technically she was Luna's spawn but most Undying associated her with Alfeo's group although how they'd figured that out she just didn't want to know.

Hitting the ground with a grunt she looked up just in time to see him head-butt her and for a few seconds, stars obscured her vision. She then wrapped her slender, strong arms around him.

"If if you wanted a hug you should have said your Marok dumbass," she grunted and wrapped both arms and legs around him not caring how precarious it looked and started to squeeze.

"You little..." Watever lewd comment her had coming died on his lips as he felt the steel like limps of the Slayer start tightening and by the time the first rib snapped his eyes were bulging out of his skull.

"What do you say Marok?" She asked, using the ancient clan name for Brock's group of Undying. The moment she said it felt odd and Alfeo had said that using clan names was falling out practice.

"I've... had worse..." he grunted back ever as she could feel more ribs giving way under the pressure she was putting on him.

"Ewww!" she frowned and like a python started to slowly squeeze until the Marok Royal finally gave in. To his credit he held on longer the she'd hoped, his eyes red from burst veins and his face red like a tomato.

"Alright... you win, bitch!" he grunted after trying to struggle to break her grip and she unceremomeously pushed him off her. Jumping to her feet like a cat and almost seeming unaffected even though her own ribs hurt tike hell she dusted herself off.

"So you'll side with me?" she asked for confirmation despite having heard it loud as day the first time that she'd won. She stared down at him as he crawled to his jacket and pulled out a silver flask, greedily drinking down his content and she could almost hear his bones resetting.

"Hey it's not like Largo would ever come... here and fight me is it?" he asked getting to his feet with his jacket over his shoulder. "You're strong kid, but smart too I can see that," he said as he put his arm around her shoulder and she did her best not to flinch, mostly from the smell of him.

"So we have a deal?" she asked looking up at him with a firmly set jaw and narrowed icy blue eyes.

"Step into my office. I'm sure Alfeo has all sorts of papers he'll want me to read and sign," the burly Undying joked leading her back in through the broken window and let out a rumbling laugh that despite her firmly set look had Buffy giggling because she just knew that her newest 'friend' was probably right on the money.

* * *

><p>Willow groaned as she felt a familiar presence in the room. She'd decided to stay behind at the mansion as Buffy went to work sort to speak. Rather enjoying the extensive library that Alfeo had on hand in his study.<p>

"What do you want Lily?" She asked without looking up at the flooding projection of her mentor's head. "Or is it Professor X now?" She joked having seen something similar in one of Xander's X-men comics.

"Don't be short with me Willow. What's your progress?" her clearly out of sorts mentor asked without even laughing at her joke.

"Progress... You make it sound like I'm a spy," Willow said with a raised eyebrow marking her place in the book and looking up fully.

"You're not a spy, but the reason we haven't called back is that we hope that you'll help restore some sanity to the city," Lily answered and Willow could see her glancing at something.

"How are the girls? How is Emily?" Willow asked trying to steer the topic away from the rather unpleasant task the coven had given her of making sure the right Undying got into power. Seemed like everything in this city was about politics and power, but then again a lot in life was about politics. These were just a bit more brutal.

"They're good, a bit bored of being stuck in the house, but that can't be helped. Now what is your progress?" she asked again. "Astral projection isn't easy you know," she added with a small smile.

"Oh sorry. I've got Buffy trying to gain some allies, haven't told her about the coven if you're worried about that," the red-head answered and frowned, not liking keeping things from her girlfriend.

"I'm sorry Willow, but that's how it's got to be. Keep assisting the Undying and hopefully things will be back to normal soon," Lily stated simply and then the floating transparent head wavered and vanished causing Willow to lean back in her chair and groan. Caught in the middle was not a fun place to be. The situation was not helped when the very bright red head of Jacobellla poked into the study.

"I thought I heard voices?" the young undying woman with the coke can red hair asked. "You alright, W?" she asked stepping fully into the room.

"Just going crazy and talking to myself," Willow joked hoping to deflect the question running her fingers through her hair.

After the silence dragged on for a bit long making Willow feel old for some reason, almost like she wasn't on the same level with the seemingly young looking Undying.

"The Trench coat brigade back yet?" she asked for a lack of anything to see, knowing that the Coca- Cola-can-colored-red-head always seemed to know who was coming and going.

"Nope no sign, hope dad isn't being too hard on Spike," she answered with a grin and hopped up onto the table.

"You like him, huh?" Willow asked with a small smile of her own.

"I know it's like a total White Knight thing, but when a guy just sort of beats up a room full of people and then pulls you out of a pile of rubble while making snarky jokes. What's not to like?" the brighter colored red-head giggled.

"Not to mention that your dad hates it so much," Willow added with a knowing look as she tried not to grin impishly. She'd not even thought about what her parents would think. They thought she was on some exchange program and hadn't even bothered to call since the start of the summer.

"I don't think he hates him. Dad's really smart when you get down to it and Spike wouldn't be here if dad didn't see something in him," Jacobellla smiled.

"Sure he'll huff and puff and talk about dumping Spike in the harbor with concrete boots on," she went on with a peel of laughter escaping her lips. When the woman's lips parted Willow saw the now familiar flash of fangs reminding her that although the girl might look her age she probably was well into her first couple of hundred years of existence.

"I bet he even has him sign a contract before the date," Luna said from the door leaning against the frame with her hands crossed over her chest. Still dressed in her secretarial outfit that had seemingly become her uniform ever since Alfeo had put her into Buffy's service as punishment for embracing the Slayer.

"Oh hey Luna," Jacobellla smiled at the undying while Willow tried her best not to frown. She didn't like Luna. She was way too nice to just say and she knew Buffy needed her around, but this was after all the woman that had almost taken Buffy away from her. Needless to say, it took a lot of willpower just to stay civil. Especially when Buffy wasn't there to keep the peace.

"Luna," Willow just nodded and went back to reading her book, pointedly ignoring the dark haired Undying as she did the same. Jacobellla sensing the tension looked between the two similar yet very different woman.

"Right... I'll just be checking on if they're back," she blurted out and all but felt the tension filled room as Willow glanced up at Luna.

"Anything you want Miss Largo?" she asked putting a firm emphasis on the Largo bit as she made her eyes flash green briefly.

"You don't like me, do you Miss Rosenberg?" Luna asked bluntly, leaning against the desk her pale fingers playing with some papers scattered there on.

"I wouldn't say I don't like you. But let me think of a few reasons why I might just hold a grudge: You tried to seduce Buffy, you embraced her and then your brother tries to use a crazy Dark Witch to kill us all. Let me think do I like you," she paused and looking straight into Luna's eyes.

"No!" she stated firmly showing her anger.

"I did what I had to do," Luna fired back. "I regret it yes, but what is done is done," she said her voice never rising or falling, remaining steady and even.

"Still doesn't mean I like you. Thanks to you I've got a girlfriend who sometimes wants to eat me and not in the good way!" Willow said rising from her chair. Then, realizing what she had said, she couldn't stop giggling and Luna soon joined in.

"Still hate your guts bitch," Willow said wiping away at a tear.

"Hey I'm not your biggest fan, Red," Luna said back but as they locked eyes something passed between them, a mutual understanding that despite their dislike for each other they both had Buffy's' best interests at heart.

"Understood," Willow simply nodded and went back to her reading as Luna wordlessly slipped from the study.

**To be Continued...**


	17. Chapter 16: Stolen Moments

**Author's notes: **Sorry been writers' blocked, but let us get rolling shall we?

**Chapter 16: Stolen Moments**

Buffy dragged herself into the mansion's kitchen and yanked a bottle of Amber Nectar out of the refrigerator. The shoulder of her jacket was torn, her blouse was missing two buttons and she was only wearing one shoe which was full of water. Suffice to say, tonight's meeting hadn't gone to plan.

Her cheek was swollen, making her hiss and bare her fangs as it healed up. She'd been trying to drink less of the Amber drink as of late. Mostly because she couldn't shake the feeling it was a weakness and no matter how many talks with Luna about the nature of Undying could take away the guilt of needing blood.

"Ambushing sons of bitches," she cursed and wiped some of the liquid of her chin when she realized she'd been greedily gulping the blood substitute down.

She'd gone alone, as requested in a curtly worded letter, to meet up with some very old Undying that she had hoped would come over to Team Buffy like Willow had taken to calling the little alliance she was trying to put together.

Leaning against the fridge kicking it with her one shoed foot she was frustrated and it was starting to show. The gathering was drawing near and Largo was upping the stakes as tonight had proven. She closed her eyes and reviewed the events of the night so far while kicking of her ruined shoe while the other one was probably floating into the Pacific at the moment.

**R-R-R-R-R-R**

Pulling her coat around herself Buffy looked around the empty park with her ponytail billowing slightly in the breeze coming in of the Pacific Ocean. She stood on an arched stone bridge that crossed a small stream. In the sky above her she could see that the moon would be full in a few days and that the Gathering was drawing near meant her time to find more allies was growing shorter.

She unfolded the brown slip off crackling paper she'd received earlier in the day. When it had appear she had tried half a dozen times to read before giving up and calling in Luna to decipher the script. The note was short and precise giving the time and location of the meeting along with instructions to come alone or else there would be no meeting.

Giles and Willow had both argued against her going alone while Spike and Luna had assured them she could take care of herself. She swore that those four were like angels and devils on her shoulders sometimes. It had been Luna's firm and almost fearful statement that one did not disobey a summons from the Ancients that had clinched it thus resulting in her standing alone on this bridge.

"Misssss Summerssss," a reptilian voice almost made her jump, but she'd been briefed by Luna on this particular breed of Undying. They were the oldest and some said the first, but over ten thousand years of practicing dark magic and refusal to interbreed with the other clans had left them icky as Buffy herself had put it. The Ancients rarely embraced and reproduced even less.

"Thank you for coming to see me Ambassador," Buffy replied bowing deeply as she'd been instructed to do. "I've come to ask for your…" she started but was cut off by a raised gloved hand as two yellow orbs peered at her from underneath a leather hood.

"We know why you have come Missss Summersss and we are extending you the courtesy of this meeting purely due to your unique sssituation and our curiosity of it," the hooded figured stated as Buffy's icy blue eyes darted around the park sensing that the Ambassador was not alone and she could almost hear his kindred whispering in her mind.

"My unique situation?" she asked trying to fight her Slayer-side shouting at her to hit the creature in front of her. Narrowing her eyes she tried to pinpoint the whispering minds scattered around the park but the touches were too fleeting for her to nail them down.

Also it did not help that something about the very ancient being unsettled her on so many levels. Before she could question it further she froze as the Ancient Undying's yellow orbs caught her icy blue ones, her eyes widened and she could feel its mind crawling over hers.

"You are Slayer born made Undying. Something not thought possible or advisable. Then again the Largo girl was foolish and blinded by love," the being muttered. "We are curious as to how you even survived the Embracing, but now that we have seen we are satisfied," it stated while turning away. At the same time Buffy unfroze and felt the slimy touch leave her mind.

"Hey that wasn't necessary!" she growled and put her hand on the hooded figure's shoulder fully intended on making it face her again. Again her eyes snapped open as she felt a chill run up her arm, she hadn't felt cold like this since she died and she recoiled back against the bridge's stone guardrail.

"Like we said Misss Summersss, we are satisfied," the enigmatic being stated without looking back at her. "We suggest you ready yourself," it said and then it was gone while Buffy straightened herself out and flexed her fingers.

"Ready myself…. Oh poo!" she cursed drawing her short sword from inside her coat. Then a stake popped into her hand out of the sleeve.

Shrugging off her coat she scanned the now eerily silent park, her pointy ears twitching and her eyes appearing more black then icy blue as her pupils dilated.

The first ambusher jumping up from underneath the bridge racked its claws over her back tearing into her jacket and blouse. Grunting and hating being right all the time Buffy rolled away and threw her stake at the vampire's heart. It exploded into dust with a satisfying thud leaving the stake rattling on the stones of the bridge.

"Largo, this is getting old!" Buffy shouted into the night knowing full well who had sent her 'cousins' to ruin her night.

Scooping her stake up out of the pile of dust on the bridge floor she readied herself for the onslaught that she knew was coming. Right on time two groups of vampires rushed onto the bridge from either side effectively trapping her in the middle.

The first two attackers joined their stealthy friend as piles of dust on the bridge, causing the remaining ambushers to pull back a bit. Grinning almost madly, Buffy flashed her pearly fangs at her attackers and her eyes narrowed

"Come on then! The wife wants me home by dawn," she growled at the cowardice of her attackers and threw her stake at the first open target, exploding the unlucky vampire into dust. This seemed to spur the rest of them into action as they bum-rushed her on the middle of the bridge.

Holding her own, but quickly loosing at the numbers game even with her Undying speed and Slayer strength she felt something connect with her jaw followed by a crack and she then heard the sleeve of her jacket rip. Feel them trying to overwhelm her by piling on top of her Buffy coiled in on herself and then with all her strength burst out of the pile.

"Tactical retreat time," she muttered and dove of the bridge into the stream running under it. Landing in just under a foot of water she took off running towards the mansion. A few dusted vampires more or less didn't matter in the grand scheme of things she knew and the others would be returning to the mansion soon.

**R-R-R-R-R-R**

Back in the mansion's kitchen Buffy groaned and pulled of her jacket carelessly tossing it over the back of a chair.

Studying the cuts on the back, she groaned that Aunt June was going to have her hide for ruining yet another suit. It was the sight of her lover's back sporting quickly fading pink lines, showing through a shredded blouse, which greeted Willow as she stepped into the kitchen.

"Rough night uh?" she asked stepping into the well lit room wearing her usual green coat, but with the hood down and sleeve torn all of it caked in brown mud.

"You don't look so great yourself either Wills," Buffy grunted turning around and taking another deep drink from her bottle of Amber Nectar as Willow watched the movements of her girlfriend's neck as she swallowed.

"Coven needed me," the red-head shrugged and bit into a bright red apple, thankful that June kept the mansion stocked with human friendly foods.

Buffy only gave a grunt in response and crushed the plastic bottle in her hand, wiggling her jaw feeling it heal up fully. Throwing the bottle over her shoulder and hitting the trashcan she focused her eyes on her witchy lover.

"Someday you've got to introduce me to this Coven of yours," she said sounding almost like a jealous boyfriend, correction jealous girlfriend drawing a sigh from Willow before she swallowed a bite of her apple.

"The less you know about Coven stuff the less chance of Largo turning his attention to it," she answered like she'd done many times before.

They'd had long talks about Willow's coven before and how they could use it in the upcoming power struggle. The end result being that the group of mostly young witches should be kept on the sidelines unless things really went to hell in a hand-basket.

"Are you friends okay though?" Buffy asked as she stretched out the kinks in her body, the white blouse riding up her stomach exposing an expanse of pale skin and the curve of the bottom of her breasts.

"Yeah they're scared but they're safe," Willow smiled and finished of her apple before with an almost impish grin incinerating the core before then making a show of dusting of her hands.

"Show off," Buffy muttered with a smile as she wrapped her arms around Willow's hips and started kissing the side of her neck.

"Oh are we all better now?" the red-head giggled feeling her lover's cold lips on her skin and she felt her pulse pick up like it always did. The close proximity to the Slayer turned Undying always made her magical energies to flare up.

Willow had been learning to control her burgeoning powers. It seemed that more time she spent with Buffy the easier the control came to her. If was almost as if admitting her love for the blond girl had released some sort of mental block on her powers or as Spike had cheekily commented that regular sex was a wonderful cure-it-all.

"Uh uh," the blond with the icy blue eyes whispered nibbling at the witch's ear as the taller girl turned around and put her arms on slender yet strong shoulders. Their eyes met and Willow's green eyes flashed with emerald flame while Buffy's icy blue orbs twinkled like frosted steel. They slowly drew closer and their lips brushed together.

"Get a room," a gruff voice snorted as Spike stumbled into the kitchen with Jacobella trailing behind him.

The young undying woman had taken to sporting bleached streaks in her cherry red hair was looking impeccable, while her boyfriend, through no choice of his own like he often pointed out, looked like he'd been through a war. Buffy and Willow knew that the relationship between the two was decidedly one-sided. Still Spike knew that keeping the flighty girl happy was a good thing, having centuries of experience dealing with far crazier women then slightly scatter-brained Jacobella.

"Rough night uh?" Willow asked again and Buffy giggled as she rested her head on her girlfriend's shoulder.

"Dad had us escort a family out of the city and we ran into a bit of an ambush," Jacobella explained while Spike loudly rummaged through the fridge looking for his stash of the 'Real Stuff' yanking out a black bottle marked "Spike's Juice" he took a long drink of it before wiping his lips and offering it first to Jacobella who shook her head and then to Buffy who glared at him.

"Suit yourself pets," he chuckled and finished it off. "Largos' folk aren't fans of Undying shaking up with humans or anybody else for that matter," he explained after heavily sitting down on one of the chairs around the kitchen's round table.

The silence in the room dragged on as nobody felt like they could verbalize the sense of foreboding they all felt. Things were getting worse, granted it wasn't open warfare like earlier in the summer, but it was more brutal with raids late at night, harassments and shake-downs. All manner of nocturnal creatures had taken to fleeing the city in a mass exodus. Largo was pushing a very pure-blood agenda it had become clear early on with the focus on the night belonging to the Undying and nobody else.

"Anybody seen…" Buffy asked but didn't get to finish as Luna dragged a very beat up looking Giles into the kitchen.

The Watcher and sole carrying member of the Human Club looked haggard and sported a large bruise on the side of his face. One arm was slung over Luna's shoulder and the other clutched an obsidian blade that these days never seemed to leave his side.

"Giles!" Buffy exclaimed rushing to her Watcher's side and helping him sit down. "What happened?" she demanded getting only a cocky bloodied grin from the British mad-man and a deep sigh from Luna.

"Oh you mean what Mister middle-aged and crazy here did?" the clearly annoyed Undying woman asked pulling out an ice-pack from the much used fridge and pressing it to Giles' cheek. Willow giggled a little at the nickname resulting in a trademarked Buffy glare aimed at her.

The girls where split in the attitudes towards the 'New' Giles as Buffy called him. While Buffy was worried sick most of the time Willow being newly liberated from her librarian bonds herself was all for the British Watcher embracing a more active part in things.

"It wasn't… so bad," Giles grunted accepting the care Luna offered as he slowly regained use of his swollen jaw.

"No of course not Rupert," Luna muttered. "We could have waited for the Twins or better yet not gotten involved," she went on as the British man just grinned.

"They needed our help," he stated and lifted the heavy blade up onto the table. Buffy couldn't help but to frown at the sight of the shinning obsidian weapon. Ever since Giles had received it in the spring there had been a shift in the man. Almost if he was trying to do more and in a more reckless manner, when pressed about it he just said that it was his duty to help ease their burdens.

Still fussing over him, Luna frowned and shook her head, muttering something about brave and stupid humans' being the end of her. Something that Buffy's ear picked up quite clearly and she noted that there had been a shift in Luna's and Giles' relationship over the past weeks.

It at started out as open hostility with Giles blaming the Undying woman for embracing Buffy. That then had slowly morphed into an uneasy alliance of necessity mostly due to their mutual duties regarding Buffy and her well-being, but also since the two did most of the research for the group.

This latest developed seemed to point to Luna having found a soft spot for the Watcher who had become her almost constant companion by the virtue of everybody else pairing off. Yet the Undying beauty didn't harbor any romantic feelings for the man like some might suspect. It was simply a case of knowing that Giles was important to Buffy and since that was the case Luna would do anything in her power to keep him safe. The woman wasn't carrying a torch she was carrying a bloody lighthouse as Spike would sometimes gruffly tell Jacobella.

"Rupert…" Luna sighed and nobody missed the rather worried look on her face as she pushed his hair back and put his glasses back on. "You're only human," she finally said after a pregnant pause, her hands still on his face, but her eyes firmly locked on Buffy.

"Kiss!" Jacobella shouted seeing Luna's care towards the Watcher as something more different or just wanting to stir up some excitement after things had gotten too serious for her liking. Realizing her folly she clamped her hands over her mouth as everybody in the room glared at them and Giles' excused himself from the room slipping past Luna who was shooting daggers at the younger Undying.

"Do not speak on things you have no knowledge off," she hissed and stalked over, leaving Jacobella's only resort to hide behind Spike who regarded the scene with a look of amused boredom.

Before Luna could get her hands on Jacobella though Alfeo entered the Kitchen flanked by the Twins and followed by June.

The always friendly and aunt-like ginger haired woman was sporting a wide grin at the near adolescence activity going on in the kitchen or as she would routinely tell Alfeo were just young people having their fun. Alfeo was stoic, appearing thinner than he had been when Willow first met him while the twins were as always two unmovable objects of solid mass.

Like a stern father figure the Undying man caused the room to calm down instantly and even Giles returned although he kept his distance from grumbling about how Jacobella should mind her business to which the young Undying poked her tongue out at him resulting in a quick slap up the head from Luna.

"I was not aware we were conducting these meetings in my kitchen now," Alfeo said dryly ignoring the back and forth between his daughter and the people she had pissed of this time and causing Buffy to crack up and Spike to chuckle.

"Sorry Alfie it sort of just happened," the blond Slayer apologized with her arm still firmly around Willow's waist.

"I suppose it is a good a place as any," Alfeo replied cracking a thin smile as he sat himself down at the kitchen table while June brought him a warmed mug of Amber Nectar. Taking a sip he motioned for everyone to take a seat as one of the twins handed him a thick folder. He opened it and read over the first page and then looked up stating simply; "We are running out of time."

**To be continued…**

_**For my faithful readers:** I've been editing my fluff story Complex Lives of Cheerleaders and Quarterbacks into more a more chapter and review friendly format, check it out if you haven't already. It's my fluff-side allowed to run wild. Also Chapter 17 is in the bag just going over it a few times._


	18. Chapter 17: Embracing Eternity

**Author's ramblings: **This chapter is a bit shorter than usual, but it runs as one continuous scene dealing with our hero coming to terms with a few things and I didn't want to clutter it up. Also as you may have noticed I've been shifting the focus squarely onto Buffy in the last couple of chapters. This is done with a purpose and I'll go into more details at the end of the chapter for those interested.

**Chapter 17: Embracing Eternity**

It was late in the afternoon and while the sun was slowly sinking into the sea most of the mansion was sleeping. Everybody that is safe for Buffy Summers, wearing just a white sleeveless blouse and black slacks she sat the big desk in the study poring over reports. Her hair was tied up into a messy ponytail and her icy blue eyes darted back and forth between four sets of reports spread out in front of her on the desk. Last night Alfeo had told them they were running out of time and options, so she's made sure Willow was sleeping before slipping out of their room.

Every so often she'd glance up at the map of the city Luna and Giles had hung of the wall. Various territories were marked in different colors. Some pegged with yellow pins indicating that they were allied with her, some with red marking them as Largo's and quite a few marked with white pins indicating neutrality.

Despite her best efforts, only Brock and his Maroks had agreed to outright join them and that was because she'd beaten him in a fight during their first meeting. The other clans where choosing to stay neutral and taking a wait and see approach to the whole affair. Many simply saw it as a fight between Largo and Alfeo for the vacant Prince position.

It didn't matter if the Prince was in fact enjoyed the hospitality of Largo's prison cell right now, that as far as Undying politics went was par for the course.

"Why did I think this was a good idea," she whispered to herself pinching the bridge of her nose. It had been such a simple plan at the start. Make everybody think she was Alfeo's second in command and then put her out front and center. That way those that mattered would know who she was and what she could do, than at the Gathering she'd invoke the ancient rites of trial by combat and lob Victor Largo's head off.

Then as she spent more time doing the diplomatic thing as she called by talking to the various leaders of the Undying around the city. She was slowly coming to realize that simply cutting Victor Largos head of wouldn't accomplish very much. She'd be seen as the jumped up little fledgling trying to rise above her station. Leaning forward she rested her head against her arms and let out a frustrated groan as she tried to sort through all the information in her head.

"You should rest," a soft voice said and Buffy felt a small delicate hand on her shoulder. Not raising her head she just shook it wordlessly.

"Come now you're no good to anybody like this," the voice said while she felt small yet incredibly strong hands rubbing her shoulders and she let out a small moan.

"Luna…" she half moaned and half growled too exhausted to protest or simply push the woman away.

"Don't let your witch hear you moan like that," the voice giggled and Buffy groaned, but Luna kept rubbing the Slayer's tired shoulders, even getting so bold as to slip into the large chair right behind the petite slayer.

"Luna we've talked about this…." she stammered but leaned against the touch of the older woman with her raven black hair.

"It is my duty to care for you," Luna whispered into her ear as her hands started to roam a bit further then needed. Then she felt the Undying woman's mind pushing on hers and she wasn't sure if she was hearing Luna speaking or just hearing her thoughts.

"Can she touch you like this?" the silken voice asked and Buffy only shook her head, but then gathered up her resolve and thought of Willow. The red-head's smiling face appeared in her minds eye.

"Stop trying to make me doubt myself," she replied and after allowing herself the touch of Luna's mind in hers for a few moments before she pushed the woman out. "I love Willow!" she stated firmly and got up from the chair with a purpose.

"I know that, but who is to say you can't love me too?" Luna asked with a raised eyebrow. "Your human friends won't be around forever you know," she added and after moments silence there was a loud smack as Buffy slapped her across the face.

"Don't ever remind me of that ever again," the furious Slayer stated through gritted teeth and stalked from the study leaving a stunned Luna Largo behind holding her cheek with tears shimmering in her eyes.

Slipping into the room she shared with Willow without a sound. She stood over her sleeping lover, sniffling quietly and rubbing her tear filled eyes. Reaching down she ran a pale hand across the red head's cheek causing her to murmur in her sleep.

"Damn that woman," she cursed into the empty air. Every so often Luna would try something like that, usually when she was tired and her defenses were down and she would almost give in before catching herself.

Luna had embraced her after all and they shared a strong bond because of it. For the past weeks Luna had seemed happy to simply support her and be there for her, even going so far as to make sure that Giles was safe as a quiet service to her. Simply doing everything to ease the young woman's mind and help her focus on her task.

Still there were moments where Luna's rigid control would seemingly slip and her promise to Alfeo to serve the Undying Slayer and nothing else would falter and she'd try something like she'd just did in the study. Buffy knew the woman couldn't help it. It was simply her instincts driving her forward.

What really got her angry were the nagging doubts that would flare up in her mind. Willow had maybe sixty more years of life ahead of her with luck. While she was slowly realizing that time didn't matter that much to her anymore. She'd always be eighteen while Willow would age.

"What am I doing?" she asked nobody in particular and touched one of the silvery locks in Willow's otherwise fiery hair. That single lock serving as a reminder that Willow was and would continue to age and change while she would remain the same.

Leaning down she kissed Willow's warm lips before turning away and stalking out of the room. Her face was firmly set as she stepped into the armory deep in the mansion's bowels. Finding Spike already there toying with a crossbow. The Brit looked up at her and nodded his head watching her stride over to a locker marked with her name.

Pulling out her now favorite short sword she turned to face Spike. Muscles rippled under the pale skin of her arms as she started going through the kata that usually calmed her but now only seemed to enrage her more. Eternity hung heavy on her mind and it was at that point that Spike spoke up.

"Something bothering you pet?" he asked putting down the heavy crossbow he'd been tinkering with as icy blue eyes glared at him.

"Look Slayer I know we're not best mates here, but we kind of need you focused," he went on and something in his voice caused Buffy to snap as she threw the sword at him with a loud yell. Missing him by inches and embedding the blade in the wall behind him.

Raising an eyebrow Spike turned around and looked at the sword that had moments earlier sailed over his head and then back at the Slayer who was breathing heavily with her pupils narrowed down into two dark pinpoints.

"Right... Nothing wrong here," he muttered and was rewarded by a swift kick to the side of the head that knocked him out of his chair.

Coming up snarling in full game face he lunged at the Slayer, tackling her to the ground and pinning her down. Buffy struggled, throwing punches left and right until Spike grabbed her arms and pinned them above her head.

"What the hell is wrong with you Slayer?" he growled and got rewarded with a head-butt straight to the nose causing him to let go of her arms and stagger to his feet. Assuming a boxer's stance he got ready for another angry onslaught from the petite woman, but she was simply staring at him as if trying to understand something.

"How do you do it Spike?" she finally asked with an earnest expression on her face. "How do you keep on going knowing that everybody around you is just going to get old and die?" she asked when her first question didn't get a reply.

"Well I'm no expert in human friends," he drawled his accent sounding thicker and wiped the blood of his face. "That's more the Great Poofs territory," he explained causing Buffy to giggle a little bit.

"But how do you deal with knowing that you'll never change while everything around you is going too?" she asked walking casually over to the sword sticking out of the wall.

"Carpe diem Slayer," he answered with a straight face as she raised a pale eyebrow at him. "You just got to live every day or night to the fullest and with no regrets. Keep your eye firmly fixed in the here and now," he went on and with a nod and grunt Buffy pulled the sword from the wall.

"What about love? How can people like us ever love somebody who isn't like us?" she asked and placed the sword on the table.

"Love is forever Slayer, never forget that," he replied without missing a beat causing Buffy to grin a little bit as the bleach blonde vampire revealed an oddly tender side to himself.

"That's mighty soft coming from you Spike," she giggled and got rewarded by a glare for her efforts.

"Look Slay… Buffy don't let Luna get to you. I've seen what you and Red have," he said with a big of a sigh to his voice before pausing and fixing his gaze on the blond girl.

"You will still be there when she's old and grey because that's the kind of goodie-goodie two-shoes you are," he went on without a hint of sarcasm in his usually snarky voice.

"Leave it to my enemy to know me better then I know myself, huh?" she laughed and pulled the ponytail out of her hair shaking it loose around her shoulders.

"Hey, we're mates you and me," Spike stated rather firmly and was rewarded with a 'bad-ass-vampire-says-what' look from Buffy.

"Look Slayer as I see it we're stuck with each other for the next couple hundred years and I'd rather be kicking arse with you then having mine kicked by you," he laughed walking over to the small refrigerator in the armory pulling out two bottles of Amber Nectar and another of vodka before rummaging up two red plastic cups.

"Now I hate this stuff, but what you say us two get nice and rat-arsed?" he suggested and Buffy couldn't help but to agree with the idea.

It was the scene of two giggling foes that greeted Giles when he entered the Armory to prepare for the nights activities. Two empty bottles of Amber Nectar and an empty bottle of vodka lay on the table and somebody had stacked red cups into a rather impressive pyramid on the middle of the table.

"Do I even want to know?" he asked walked straight past the two mates laughing it up probably at his expense.

"Nothing major Giles just spike teaching me how to embrace eternity one day a time," Buffy slurred a bit, but she could quickly feel the effects of the alcohol wear off.

"That's me a **unlife** coach supreme," Spike laughed and slapped Buffy on the back as Giles turned his eyes skyward silently hoping that one side-effect of his ownership of the Night Blade didn't include immortality because the next millennium or so with these two would surely drive him insane.

**To be continued…**

**Author explains: **As promised I'll explain the Buffy focus the story has taken. There a few reasons for this shift. Foremost is because Willow's story wrapped up with the Dark Witch being defeated and her accepting both her love for Buffy and her powers. Now originally I had a bigger role for Xander and Giles planned, but I felt that it drew the focus away from Buffy's journey and transformation. They are still there Xander showed up to help Buffy fight Largo's goons and Giles and his sword are around, but I felt the story would work better with one central hero.


	19. Chapter 18: Desperate Measures

**The Author apologizes: **Hey readers I know you're hiding out there. Sorry this chapter took a while, but my beta reader / idea-off-bouncer is down for the count at the moment. Still I've beat some work out of him, but still this is only partially beta-read. So if you notice something off please let me know :)

**Chapter 18: Desperate Measures**

Willow watched as her girlfriend got ready while she sat on the bed holding Buffy's short sword and tracing glowing green runs onto the blade with her fingertips. The blond Slayer stood by the wardrobe in her underwear and brushed her fingertips over the royal blue cape hanging next to her black suit.

"Capes seriously," she muttered and pull the white silk blouse around her slender frame causing the red-head on the bed to give a slight sigh of disappointment. "Mind out of the gutter please Wills," the now partially clothed blond joked while buttoning up her blouse.

"Still can't see why I'm not allowed to come," was the reply from the red-head as Buffy pulled the pressed black pants up her toned legs.

"Undying only apparently, we're slipping Giles and Spike in on a technicality," she explained and buttoned up her pants.

"Promise me that's the only reason, I know how you can get," Willow spoke in a clear and earnest voice.

Turning around and pulling the jacket on Buffy fixed her icy blue eyes on her lover before breaking out her thousand watt smile.

"Willow there is nobody I'd rather have with me there," she stated firmly causing the red witch to blush slightly.

Even with Buffy as her confirmed girlfriend the Slayer still had the power to make her blush on demand it seemed. Walking over to the bed the blond girl put her hand on the blushing pink cheek of her girlfriend.

"Almost done," Willow said and traced the last glowing green run on the Slayer's sword. If she couldn't be there with her love then she'd make damn sure she would have as much an advantage as possible.

Buttoning up her jacket Buffy frowned as she glanced to her reports strewn across the room she groaned inwardly and then let out a long sigh before turning back to the cape. Then she spoke in a soft voice.

"I don't deserve you," she said simply and pulled the royal blue cape over her shoulders. It felt very heavy and her instincts screamed at her that this wasn't a good idea.

"Yeah you do," Willow answered and put the sword away. Upon hearing Willow say that Buffy dropped her cape and shook her head. Rubbing her temples she groaned and turned around with a firm expression on her face.

"Willow put your coat on," she stated kicking the cape away like it was some vile thing and she pulled on her heavy black coat from the wardrobe.

"What... why... the Gathering?" Willow babbled a bit taken aback by the firm tone of her girlfriend's voice and how she was acting.

"There will be no Gathering, it won't work," the blond stated simply and went to the window and pulled back the heavy curtains, in the distance she could see the sky-scape of the city and Largo's phallic tower loomed large.

She had been thinking on this for what felt like weeks now or was it weeks she wasn't quite sure anymore. She had tried to push the nagging feeling away and push on with the plan, but the more she had studied the problem the more convinced she became that the course they were on was wrong. Call it Slayer intuition or just experience, but her gut feeling was that it just wouldn't work.

"What, but Alfeo and Luna said..." Willow tried to protest staring at Buffy's back while the blond girl tied her hair into a high ponytail.

"They're wrong we don't have enough allies and the neutral clans will never trust me," she explained. "We," she said and turned around motioning between herself and her lover. "Need to go get the Prince out of whatever cell Largo has him in and then get this place back to normal," she explained.

"Buffy that's crazy, we've spent all this time planning and..." Willow tried to protest as she tried to understand what her girlfriend was thinking, her own mind usually quick and nimble having trouble keeping up with the speeds at which the Slayer now operated on.

"Willow listen to me if we go through with this plan there will never be peace in this city," Buffy stated. "So we need to go to Largo's Tower, sneak in, beat the location of the Prince out of him and then get him out!"

Willow bit her lower lip and studied her determined girlfriend. There was a note of desperation in her voice, but also firm steel behind it.

"This why you been in the study so much? Trying to find a different way?" she asked her eyes widening as she realized just how much work Buffy had been putting in. Her look turned from one of surprise to that of a prideful admiration for the Slayer.

"Yes and even if they even let me fight Largo at The Gathering which there is no guarantee for, then we just don't have the clout to move forward," Buffy explained and sighed.

"Look this is the only way that will work. Neither me or Largo will be accepted a leader and we'll just be setting up another civil war not far down the road," she went on but was cut of Willow hugging her from behind.

"I am with you always," she whispered and squeezed the blond girl.

"I know," Buffy replied and turned around in the taller girl's embrace. "Forever and ever?" she asked.

"Forever," Willow replied and Buffy smiled even as Luna's words about eternity and immortality rang in her mind.

"Let's go kick some butt uh?" she asked and Willow broke into an impish grin, taking the red-head's hand in her own she squeezed it and the pair headed of down to the armory in the mansion's basement.

* * *

><p>Sneaking into the armory with intent of taking one of Alfeo's cars from the adjoining garage had been the plan until stepping into the darkened room. The lights came on revealing Spike leaning against the lockers with Giles casually polishing in his sword at the workbench.<p>

"Going anywhere luvs?" Spike asked with a grin causing Buffy to groan out and Willow to giggle a little bit at her girlfriend's surprise at finding the pair waiting for them

"How did you know?" Buffy asked and strode past the pair to her locker, but not without sparing a smile to Giles and a mouthing thank you.

"Oh we enjoy sitting in here in the dark waiting to surprise people don't we Rupert?" Spike asked causing the Watcher to just shake his head, his face still sporting a rather angry bruise from his last scuffle.

"So you what got me bugged and chipped?" Buffy asked pulling out several old fashioned stakes out of her locker.

"We heard you coming down the hall," Giles answered in a matter of fact tone of voice and sheathed his sword. "So Spike turned out the lights and we waited," he added with a small smile.

"Did you guys have the same idea?" Willow asked and then clamped her hands over her mouth when Buffy glared at her.

"No? There is an idea?" Spike asked with a twinkle in his eyes and Giles looked up, against Buffy groaned.

"Look this whole Gathering thing isn't going to work and we know it right?" she asked and Spike nodded.

"There is a chance…" Giles started to protest much like Willow had bit Buffy cut him off as gently as possible.

"No there isn't, trust me Giles I've been trying to make this work in my head for days now," she said in an almost pleading voice. Turning she walked over to her mentor and took his hands in hers.

"Giles this is the best way trust me please," she begged in an almost whispered voice her icy blue eyes meeting the Watcher's world weary eyes. After a long silence it was the Watcher who spoke.

"What you need of me?" he asked sounding almost formal as he rose to his feet like if at attention in front of her. Breaking into a happy little smile Buffy looked up at him and then over at Spike.

"Well we could use a big commotion, you know sort of to drag some of Largo's goons away from his penis tower?" she asked with an impish grin that looked stolen from her red-headed girlfriend.

"Consider it done mate," Spike chuckled and pulled out a large angry looking crossbow from one of the weapon lockers along with a row of railroad spikes on a leather bandolier.

Rolling out a map of the City on the meeting table the took up the center of the armory Buffy started laying out the plan with Willow looking over her shoulder while she, Spike and Giles studied the map.

"Largo keeps his vampires holed up in this warehouse district," she said pointing to an area by docks. "If you two head down there and started busting up the place, it might be enough to get Largo to send out the troops," she went on and then pointed to an upscale neighborhood.

"If that's not enough he's got a nice townhouse here, I'm sure it would look so good on fire don't you think?" she asked with a wicked grin on her face as Willow's eyes went a bit wide at just how ruthless her girlfriend could be, but also at the location of the mansion.

"Buffy that's by where my Coven is," she stated and pointed to the map where the Coven's brownstone townhouse was located. "How could they be this close, oh this is not good," she muttered.

Looking at her girlfriend and back down at the map Buffy's eyes started darting across the map. Willow's face showed her worry and Buffy growled a bit at not being able to come up with anything. She knew that the moment Largo was aware of them in his tower there was a good chance he'd try to use the Coven or whatever means at his disposal to hurt them be in physically or mentally.

"I'll go," a new voice said from the doorway and all four of them looked up seeing Luna standing there in heavy leather coat over jeans and a purple t-shirt. "I'll go warn Willow's friends I can get in there unnoticed and warn them," she stated. "Sorry but you two stick out a lot," she added with an apologetic glance at Spike and Giles.

Buffy and Willow studied the undying woman and then Willow stepped forward a firm look on her face and her eyes flaring with green fire.

"How can I trust you?" she asked standing toe to toe with the woman who had embraced Buffy.

"You don't have the choice not too," Luna stated crossing her hands across her chest. For the longest time the two just stared at each other. It was almost if they were talking it out between themselves somewhere far away from the armory and the people in it.

"Very well," Willow finally said as Spike, Giles and Buffy exchanged confused looks. "Here this will mark you as a friend," she said and took Luna's hand tracing a green rune into the woman's pale palm. "Go there, talk to Lily and tell them it's time to enact the plan," she explained and Luna nodded her head. "Oh and touch Buffy again I'll fry you," she added with a flash of anger crossing her face and again Luna just nodded.

"Right…" Buffy drawled as the two stepped apart. "Everybody knows what they're supposed to do?" she asked and all four of her companions nodded. "Good now let's go borrow some of Alfie's cars shall we?" she suggested with a grin.

* * *

><p>Buffy and Willow waited in the shadows by Largo Tower then as they looked to the west and saw a huge fireball rise up into the sky. Looking at each other and grinning they heard the screech of tires as vans poured out of an underground parking area under the building. Taking their cue the pair snuck into the parking before the gates closed again.<p>

"So far so good," Buffy muttered pulling her coat around and looking around for an elevator.

"Ground floor Henchmen, weaponry and assault vehicles," Willow whispered pushing a silver strand behind her ear causing Buffy to grin at her.

"Filling in for Xander?" she whispered as they made their way to the elevator at the back of the parking garage.

"Sort a wish he was here," Willow replied looking a bit down not having their Xander shaped friend with them.

"He's taking care of business back home, somebody has to," the blond stated with a faraway look on her face. Home it had been a long time since she thought about home.

"If Faith and Anya haven't killed him yet," Willow giggled at the thought of poor Xander being caught between the ever sensual Slayer and the nymph like ex-demon.

"Let not get all homesick okay. We've got a job to do," Buffy stated firmly and then kissed Willow on the cheek when she realized her tone of voice. "Sorry just let's get this done and go home okay?" she asked and Willow nodded as a ding signaled the arrival of their ride to the top.

The elevator came to jarring stop ten floors from the penthouse. Buffy let out a groan and dug her fingers into the gap between the metal doors and pried them open, peaking through the crack seeing the coast was clear she forced the doors all the way open.

"Coast is clear," she whispered and slipped out of the lift before lifting Willow up out of it. The witch´s fingers twitching and green eyes glowing with dull emerald flames.

"Where is everybody?" Willow whispered the tower being almost empty it seemed. "He can't have sent all his men out could he?" she wondered and Buffy just shook her head.

"He's up to something or maybe this is just an empty floor," she whispered back and double checked for her stakes inside her coat. "In any case let's hope we're just lucky," she added.

Sneaking along the walls towards the nearest stairs their luck ran out Buffy held up her hand for Willow to stop but they had already been spotted. Down the hallway right in front of them four of Largo's riot gear glad goons caught in on their break from the look fumbled for their weapons when one of them raised the alarm.

"Poop!" Buffy cursed pushing Willow behind her and yanked out two of her old fashioned wooden stakes.

"Those won't do any…" Willow protested with an _indignant_ tone in her voice at being pushed to safety. The words died on her lips as Buffy expertly hurled the stakes with unnatural force into the first guard who had turned to face them. The sharp wood embedding itself in the man's shoulders and his companions watched him fall to his knees before rushing to close the distance cracking electro-shock batons raised.

"Oh this will take forever!" Willow sighed and pushed Buffy down a bit with her arm outstretched over the blond girl shoulder and a ball of green crackling fairy fire shot out of her palm. It hit its target dead on and the guard unlucky enough to be in its path start to shake and convulse before collapsing in a smoking heap on the floor. "Your turn," she grinned as Buffy lunged herself at the unlucky duo still standing with a feral grin.

Her sword coming out from underneath her coat she wasted no time neatly slicing the first goons hand off at the wrist sending him screaming to the floor. She remembered men in similar outfits beating her senseless in Luna's apartment before staking her. Her eyes narrowed as Willow turned pale at the gruesomeness of Buffy's approach to fighting.

Slamming the hilt of her sword against the back of the unarmed guard's head she turned her attention to the last one standing. Her sword pointing at his throat, but then she noticed that the man, no correction woman was trembling holding the crackling baton out in front of herself with shaking hands.

Something was off about this one Buffy realized, her ears twitched and her nostrils flared as she tilted her head as if to try and see behind the all-concealing helmet on the woman's head.

Putting the tip of her sword against the strap of the helmet obscuring the goon's face she sliced through it and then pushed the helmet off, sending a tumble of dark hair falling down. The unmasked goon now revealed a girl with a soft pixie like face all of a sudden seem to shrink as she fell to her knees sobbing.

"What's your name?" Buffy asked as Willow came up behind her trying not to be sick at the sight the undying goon trying to find his hand.

"Vi… Victoria…." The girl stammered her eyes welling up with tears as Buffy used her sword to make the girl turn her head, revealing rather fresh looking puncture wounds.

"You're not Undying are you Victoria?" she asked in that same steely voice, trying not to find sympathy for the girl.

"No… I'm just a familiar… they told me to put on the gear and…. Oh god!" the girl bent over quickly losing the contents of her stomach onto the floor.

"Come on let's keep moving," Willow whispered into Buffy's ear, a bit worried about the hard set look on her lover's face as the familiar kept retching onto the floor. Bending down the red-head who couldn't bear to see anybody suffering rubbed the girls back, but at the same time took away her radio and pass-card.

"Go home Victoria," Buffy said with a firm tone her in voice while raising the girl's head up with the sword's tip under her chin. "Go home and don't come back to this world because it's not worth it trust me," she stated and her icy blue eyes held the girl's frightened brown ones. The girl nodded and scrambled away towards the elevators.

After securing the three remaining guards they found the stairs leading up to the top. Buffy looked up towards the darkness above them while Willow studied her with a frown on her face.

"Stop looking at me like that… please," Buffy said in a weary voice. "He's using humans' now that just means we got to end this quick," she added.

"You could have killed her," Willow stated. "What stopped you?" she asked then as they started climbing the stairs up to the penthouse level.

"Undying don't have heartbeats like hers," the blond girl answered and made her ears wiggle a little.

"Shit just got real uh?" Willow asked and Buffy froze and turned around slowly as her girlfriend gave her and impish smile.

"Yes it did let's go finish this okay?" Buffy asked offering the red-head her hand which she took without hesitation as they started to climb the stairs.

* * *

><p>In the penthouse office of Victor Largo, the man who the tower and in fact the entire clan was named after, stood and stared out at the City, his City. In the distance he could see the flames rising up of the warehouse district, with frantic reports coming into his earpiece about two British sounding mad-men tearing up the place.<p>

"Is the path cleared for them?" he asked bringing his fingers to the earpiece and the voice in his ear confirmed that the top floors of the tower were indeed empty. "Good and the familiar did she kill her? No, such a shame," he muttered and the blue light on the earpiece went off.

Smoothing down the front of his white tailored suit his ears twitching at the new sound in the background it seemed his guests had arrived.

He turned around as he heard the door open with his eyes narrowing slightly. Coming through the door the blond upstart held a sword in front of her with both hands on the hilt. Behind her was that damned witch of hers, with both hands crackling with green ethereal energies.

"Welcome Miss Summer, Miss Rosenberg would you care for a drink?" he asked sounding like he didn't have a care in the world, even as the City burned in front of him.

"Drop the act Largo and tell us where the Prince is…" Buffy asked moving closer with Willow matching her step by step. Sword and magic pointing at him yet Largo seemed totally unsurprised by their sudden arrival.

"He's enjoying my hospitality don't you worry, but I'm much more interested in Miss Rosenberg's Coven friends," he said with a grin.

"Don't you dare bring them into this!" Willow shouted before sending a green ball of crackling fire straight at Largo's chest only to have to fizzle out a foot away from him.

"Oh I'm quite prepared for you Miss Rosenberg, you see I had some problems earlier this summer of the magical sort," Victor Largo chuckled pressing his finger to his earpiece again as he started walking up to the bar against the far wall of the office. "Oh and yes I do dare. I dared thirty minutes ago, I'm afraid your friends are all dead now Miss Rosenberg," he chuckled pouring himself a drink.

"You son of a…" Willow never finished her curse as she hurled a rapid succession of green crackling balls at Largo only to have them all fizzle out and die against some sort of barrier like the first one. Turning around and flicking some imaginary dust of his cuff he smiled baring his fangs.

"Always happy to get my money's worth," he stated with a laugh.

Muttering something under her breath Willow pulled out a beautifully carved wooden stake from underneath her coat. Her green eyes flaring up with green flame she rushed towards the chuckling Undying.

Hands glowing green and the tail of her green coat flying behind her, she covered the distance between herself and Largo in a flash. Rage clear on her pretty features, but then her eyes went wide as she barely registered the blur of his movement.

"Willow no!" Buffy shouted unable to move fast enough to catch the red-headed witch as she went sailing through the air after a vicious backhand from Largo that sent her crashing against his heavy wooden desk before grumbling to the floor like a puppet who has had its strings cut.

The Slayer glanced at the unconscious form of her lover and then back at Largo who was grinning at her while wiping Willow's blood of his hand with a towel from the bar. Throwing the towel away he turned to face her, shrugging his shoulders with a casual grin on his face.

"Now I assume this is the part where we beat on each other?" he asked pulling out a slender saber from inconspicuous place by the bar and pointing it at the Slayer who was approaching him with her icy blue eyes narrowed.

"Just tell me where the Prince is and we can all go back to normal," Buffy stated as they started to circle each other against the backdrop of the city now ablaze as the warehouse fires spread.

"No to be honest I'd rather just cut your pretty little head of," Largo laughed his eyes flashing wildly as he lunged at her and she barely got her sword up in time to block it.

Stumbling back with a grunt she saw him swishing his saber in front of him with a manic look in his eyes. Pausing to shake of her heavy coat she carefully started to circle him again as their eyes met, she felt his mind pushing on hers but she hurled her will back at him, sending him stumbling back.

"Luna chose her new pet well," he laughed wiping some blood from his nose. "I haven't had to engage someone in single combat in over two hundred years, but I'm going to enjoy this," he stated as their swords met in a loud metallic clang as another fireball rose up from the warehouse district distracting them both and casting an orange glow on them.

"That's my mates," Buffy laughed a little and used the distraction to push Largo away before trying to cut across his stomach but the Undying stepped back and Buffy let out a grunt as she barely dodged a stab at her shoulder that still grazed her enough to tear open the sleeve of her jacket and start up a trickle of blood.

With her icy blue eyes narrowed she lunged at Largo drawing upon her unnatural speed to strike at him six times in quick succession with her foe blocking the first three strikes but the others slicing into his thigh, arm and face.

"Ha not so tough now mister tall dark and crazy!" she exclaimed as she danced away from him sparing a quick glance at Willow who was trying to stumble to her feet and groaning. That glance was all it took for Largo to find his opening and Buffy felt the edge of his saber run across her cheek as she barely manage to turn away, her blood spilling out in an arch before splattering against the walls.

Holding her bleeding cheek in one hand and pointing her sword at her grinning adversary she snarled baring her pearly white fangs. Then she lunged at him with a feral snarl and her eyes gleaming as her pupils narrowed into two inky black dots. Her face contorting and becoming more angular as she rained down blow after heavy blow as Largo started to stumble back. His eyes wide eyed at the feral aggression being shown by the Undying Slayer.

Largo in desperation took a wild swing for the enraged Slayer's neck, but she smoothly ducked underneath the sweeping arch of his blade and came up with a vicious uppercut. Sending him off balance and then following up by a bone-crushing roundhouse kick to the chest that sent him stumbling against the panoramic windows with the City on fire in the distance.

Moving in a blur she was upon him, her foot stepping on his blade before he could raise it and her sword at his throat.

"Where is the Prince?" she growled the cut on her cheek still bleeding and the sleeve of her jacket hanging on by a few threats. Largo spat at her in response as she started to push her blade into his neck, breaking the skin.

"I won't ask again Largo," she stated her ears twitching as she could hear Willow groaning in pain behind her.

"Basement level…" Largo started to say before the doors of the penthouse blew inwards and his security glad in black started pouring in through the doors and with a loud crash the skylight exploded into shards of glass.

Buffy's perception slowed down, her ears picking up the guards' heavy footstep in muddled slow motion as they rushed inside the penthouse and she could hear each shard of glass hitting the floor. Turning her eyes to Largo she saw him the glowing blue light on his earpiece and a bloodied grin on his face. As the world sped up again Buffy cursed before running him through the neck causing him to gurgle and spit up blood.

"Buffy…" a weakened Willow whimpered and Buffy knew she had to make a choice, but it wasn't really choice. Finish Largo off or rush to Willow's aide before the guards got to her, not really a choice at all to her.

Then the decision was taken from her as the guards where upon her. She felt a guard's baton impact with her sword arm and then she was being pulled off him. The blade came out of Largo's throat with a sickening wet sound leaving him to grab his bleeding throat while trying to issue gurgled orders at his men.

Elbowing and kicking at the guards holding her back the best she could. Finally sending the men sprawling onto the floor Buffy managed to break free and rush over to Willow pulling the witch to her feet in one smooth motion.

Looking around franticly she could see the Largo's guards approaching her with the electric-shock batons raised, their faces obscured behind the visors of their helmets.

"Damn it," Buffy cursed looking around franticly, holding her sword out in front of her while causing pain to shoot up her arm while supporting Willow with the other. They were surrounded and she could feel the bone in her arm trying to reset itself as her mind franticly searched for a way out of this mess.

"Don't… worry…. I've got you…" Willow whispered through gritted teeth looking up at her with glowing green eyes and a weak smile on her lips. Buffy felt slender arms wrap around her torso and then Willow's forehead pressing against her cheek.

Before she could reply there was bright green flash blinding her and the approaching attackers. She closed her eyes shut and waited for the inevitable but nothing happened. Her ears twitched and she couldn't hear anything accept for Willow's labored breathing.

Slowly opening her icy blue orbs and once they adjusted she saw that they were in a dark corridor lit by dull blue lights and it was very cold and damp. Looking around she saw no guards, no bleeding Largo and no penthouse with the City on fire in the distance. Then she looked to her side, her arm still around the petite witch and she saw Willow's pale and sweat trenched face sporting a tired little smile.

"See no need to worry…" the red-headed witch mumbled before grumbling to the ground sending Buffy into a full-blown panic. Her sword dropping to the floor with an echoing clang and two frantic thoughts dominating her mind; where were they and was Willow alright?

**To be continued…**

**Author's after chapter rant: **I'm working on Chapter 19 it will feature Luna and a Emily (a witch from Willow' coven seen earlier in this story) also we'll get a look at what sort of trouble Giles and Spike got into causing all those pretty explosions in this chapter.


	20. Chapter 19: City of Fire and Blood

******Author's first lines:**** **Right I said I would focus on Buffy more, but well some things happened in the background of last chapter I wanted to cover. Also this chapter re-introduces Emily, a young witch that Willow was training and hanging out with back in Chapters 6 and 7.

**Chapter 19: City of Fire and Blood  
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Luna Largo narrowed her eyes and stared down the three young witches in front of her. Her mind gently pushing out touching each of the girls', two of them were scared and nervous, but the one at the front oozed steely resolve mixed with frustration. Not that it matter who blocked her path, all she wanted to do get this over and done with. The two mad Brits where busy setting the City on fire and now looking at the pretty young witches in front of her she sort of felt like she gotten the better part of the deal.

"Give us one reason not to zap you into next week blood sucker," Emily, Willow's best friend in the coven hissed at Luna holding pointing a hand covered in crackling red fire at Luna's throat.

"I bring a message from Willow Rosenberg," Luna said as formally as she could while holding out the palm of her right hand to show the glowing green mark on it.

Settling her regal and steely gaze on the dark blond witch blocking her path she found herself intrigued. The girl had a soft round face and doe-like green eyes that right now carried a firm resolve in them. "I'm here to speak to Lily," she went on, not even flinching

Emily studied the pale woman for the longest time, long raven black hair flowing down her back, a fitted leather coat buttoned tightly around her lithe form with the tailcoats flowing out behind her. Slender legs encased in tight black jeans drew her eyes and her eyes snapped up as the Undying smirked and cleared her throat.

"Do I pass inspection?" Luna asked with a raised eyebrow suppressing her amusement at the flush creeping into the witch´s cheeks.

"Try anything funny and I swear to… "Emily growled as the two girls behind her parted and a slender hand came to rest on her shoulder.

"Let Mistress Largo speak, Emily," a soft voice said as Luna looked over the girl's shoulder at the short and white glad form of Lily, the very woman Luna had been instructed to seek out to deliver her message.

"Willow sent me to tell you it's it me to enact the plan and to…" she abruptly stopped as her ears twitched and she could hear a low whirl of something flying through the air. "Get down," she shouted pushing the group of witches with all her might into the house as the teargas canisters started exploding around them.

Looking around she saw Emily trying to calm the two other girls even though she could hear the girl's heart beating rabidly in her chest.

"Where are you planning on going? There is a plan right?" she asked Lily who was drawing patterns in a yellow glow in the air, causing the air to become clearer and the door to slam shut.

"First down to the basement, there is a door that leads to old smuggler's tunnels," the eldest witch said as loud pounding started at the warded door. "That won't hold for long," she stated and Luna nodded and got to her feet.

"Are they alright?" she asked Emily who looked up with tears in her eyes but still firmly nodding her head. "Any others here?" she asked scanning the foray of the townhouse while listening for other heartbeats.

"The other girls are already in the basement, we had planned for this," Lily explained. With her white outfit swirling around her, she helped the two sobbing young witches to their feet.

"We thought we had more time," Luna stated mutely as Emily glared at her and the undying woman could feel the mistrust pouring of the young woman in almost tangible waves. Closing her eyes to clear her mind and when she opened her eyes again the young witch was standing next to her.

"Well, you're coming with us," she said firmly grabbing Luna around the wrist and again the undying woman raised an eyebrow at the bold as brass young girl.

Before they could move the door exploded inwards and a squad of Largo's guards poured into through the broken door. Luna turned, her back covered in splinters, having thrown herself over Emily to protect the girl. While Lily's hands glowed a pale yellow as she shielded the others. Recognizing the men as her brother's goons she fixed them with a freezing stare before she spoke.

"I am Luna Isabella Anne Largo. What is the meaning of this?" she demanded. Her voice firm and behind her Emily could only watch as the petite woman seemed to grow in stature as she hurled both her voice and her will at the men.

Luna's command froze the men in place for a second as her strong will pushed against theirs. They then blinked a few times as there were too many for her to assert her power over at once.

Slowly they seemed to realize that and they rushed the petite woman. Luna's eyes narrowed and she lashed out grabbing the first man by the throat and with a twist tore his throat out.

The others rushed her but she flowed around them like water, her coat trailing behind her and Emily found herself staring at the graceful woman. Her eyes widening as Luna's hands became talon like and her face grew more angular.

"You dare stand against me? You dare stand against me!" She hissed and then roared as the other's didn't back down and drove her hand into a guard's chest and twisted it before pulling a bloodied fist out causing him to fall to the floor.

"I am a childe of Largo! I can trace my linage back to the Dawn!" she ranted as she started slashing and punching at the guards. Her eyes wild and her fangs exposed as she jumped on one them and bit into his jugular before tearing his throat out. "I've killed and I fed from men greater and better then you," she whispered to her victim with blood running down her chin she turned on the remaining men. "Come then, let me taste your blood," she hissed at them with her face twisted into a grotesque mask as she licked her lips.

The other two witches covered their eyes as Lily shielded them, but Emily couldn't look away as Luna slaughtered her brother's men with glee. The last body hit the floor and Luna licked the blood off her fingers before fixing the young round faced witch with her hungry gaze. To her credit the young witch only flinched and stared as the woman's face seemed to soften while she wiggled her now normal looking fingers.

"Why didn't they just burn this place to the ground?" she asked herself, the blood dripping from her fingertips. Looking at the witches she shivered as it was obvious. Her brother had wanted to send a message to Willow. What better way than to brutally slaughtering her friends in a visceral manner. That always sends a clearer message and if some of them could be embraced and sent against the unstable witch all the better.

Stalking over she took the girl's hand in her bloodied one and pulled her to her feet. "Which way?" she asked simply as the rage seemed to drain from her eyes. The eldest witch pointed the way and then Luna looked at the wide-eyed witch.

"You alright?" she asked and the girl mutely nodded her head. "Good, that is good," Luna muttered like she didn't really mean it and half dragged the girl after Lily down into the basement.

* * *

><p>Buffy was scared. She hadn't been this scared when she died and been embraced. She hadn't been this scared at Graduation. She hadn't been this scared when she drowned. But now, holding Willow limp and lifeless body in her arms in some dark tunnel, she was going out of her mind.<p>

"Wake up Willow. Come on, stop playing and wake up," she muttered shaking the pale witch in her arms. Icy blue eyes darted across her girlfriend's beautiful face, with her pointed ears twitching, trying to pick up a heartbeat.

"Don't do this to me." She cursed as she laid her delicate burden on the cold floor and she started pumping her fists against the witch´s chest. "Breath damn you, don't put this choice on me," she shouted and her voice echoed down the tunnels.

After her attempts at CPR had turned into her just weakly beating her fists against Willow's chest she hung her head. "Please wake up," she whispered biting into her lower lip so hard that it started to bleed.

Willow didn't respond so she lowered her lips down to Willow's that were quickly turning blue. "I can't do eternity without you," she sobbed and pressed her lips against Willow's.

The touch was feather light and a drop of blood fell from Buffy's lips landing on Willow's. Then there was a spark, a bright green spark that jumped between them as a bit more of Buffy's blood trickled into Willow's mouth.

Then Willow's body convulsed and twitched, her back arching up of the floor as Buffy's eyes went wide. Willow's green eyes flew open and burst into emerald flames as she sucked in a huge breath of air, which was quickly followed by an almighty explosion of green energy that hurled the blond girl against the wall so hard that it cracked. Leaving her to look wide eyed as the red-headed witch rose up from the floor, she didn't stand she merely rose. Her eyes more like two burning greens orbs and her red, silver streaked, hair flying about her like ribbons in a storm.

With a bang the energy radiating out from the young witch imploded back on her, sending her to her knees, gasping for air with her hands balled into tight fists. Buffy gathering herself up from the floor with a slayer shaped crack in the wall behind her. Her bones and joints popping audibly and she grimaced as she could feel her mangled body setting itself right as she dragged herself over to Willow and got to her knees. Putting her hands on the witch´s shoulders it took her a few moments to find her voice.

"Willow?" she whispered in a hoarse voice and the shock was evident on her face when Willow raised her tear streaked face. Sobbing, the red head wrapped her arms around the undying Slayer, who didn't the only thing she could and rubbed her back as her petite was racked with sobs.

"Wills what is it? She asked and she felt the witch cling to her like she was an oak in a storm. It also hurt like hell because she was still healing from being slammed against a concrete wall. She would need to feed soon she just knew it.

"I saw them... Miss Calander... Jesse... I saw them all," Willow sobbed. "It was so warm and nice and then I heard your voice," she sniffled and straightened a bit in the slayer's arms. "I heard your voice and then everything exploded with them telling me that they would see me again, but not for a long time," she tried to verbalize what she'd seen and felt those precious minutes she'd lain lifeless on the floor.

"Sssh it's all right, we'll see them again one day, okay," Buffy whispered to her now babbling and sobbing girlfriend.

Nodding her head against her lover's shoulder Willow gave a small smile. "Thanks for bringing me back I don't know how, but... thanks," she whispered as she started to stand up with Buffy trying to steady her.

"Any idea where we are?" she asked and Buffy couldn't stop herself from smiling at how resilient her girlfriend could be, near death experience dealt with time to get back to business. She'd never felt prouder or more scared in her short live. Luna's words had been driven home with a sledgehammer. Her and Willow weren't the same anymore and never would be again.

"You tell me, I just remember a lot of green," the blond slayer joked and the red headed witch shrugged and then rubbed her ear absent mindedly.

"I just remember thinking down," she admitted rather sheepishly. "Which means..." she started saying as her eyes went wider.

"We're somewhere under Largo's Tower," Buffy finished for her as she grabbed Willow's hand. "The Prince is here somewhere, can you walk?" she asked and the red head nodded her head as they made their way down the dimly lit hallway. Leaning on each other for support with only Buffy's eyes and ears guiding them in what they hoped was the right direction.

* * *

><p>In another underground location a group of young witches huddled in refurbished cave while Luna looked around for somewhere she could was the blood of her hands and face. She saw the young women glancing at her fearfully all but Emily. The dark blond doe eyed girl sat one of the tables in the hide-out, staring at her bloodied hand.<p>

Somebody handed her a wet towel, but before she could say thank you the person was gone. She started by wiping the blood away from around her mouth and then set about cleaning the caked blood of her hands. She wasn't given to violent outbursts, but the insolence of her brother's men had caused something in her to snap. She again looked at the young witch she'd shielded with her body when her brother's goons had brought explosives to bear on the Coven´s doors.

At first she'd been set on just ignoring the girl, she'd promised Buffy and Willow to warn and keep the girls safe and she'd done just that, so now why was she wandering over to young witch with a wet towel in her hands.

"Here," she stated curtly offering the blond witch the towel. The girl looked up at her without a hint of fear in her eyes, rather just that same steely resolve she'd seen earlier when she'd come to warn them. The girl was lionhearted, that was for sure.

"Thank you," Emily replied taking the wet towel away from the undying woman and wiping the blood still smeared on her hand away.

Luna just stood by the table, staring at the girl cleaning the blood stains of her hand with a disconnected look on her face. The world seemed to shrink down to just the two of them and Luna could hear the girl's heartbeat and breathing while she watched the young woman clean the dark blood of her fingers.

"Yes?" Emily asked looking up at the dazed woman hovering above her causing her to snap back to full awareness and if Luna could blush she was sure she'd be bright red.

"My apologies, the blood is a bit distracting," Luna quickly replied while sighing inwardly at herself for using such a cliché excuse on the girl. She was over two hundred years old. She'd had vague recollections of being in this very cave before and now she was using the most stereotypical excuse ever for staring at the girl.

"Oh yeah, sorry," the dark blond girl apologized quickly hiding the bloodied towel as Luna gave her a polite little smile masking her frustration well through years of practice.

"It's alright," she said and sat down in a smooth graceful motion in front of the girl. "I've already had my fill tonight," she added with a teasing smile designed to give the girl a flash of her pearly white fangs. Emily found herself unable to speak as Lily's dark eyes stared into hers just smiled back.

"Thanks for coming," she said as she finally found her voice and Luna barely could hide her surprise. "You didn't have to come with us or help us, but you did, so thank you, "she added and the stunned Undying nodded her head. Then she froze as Emily pulled the towel out from underneath the table and wiped a speck of blood from her cheek.

"You missed a spot," she offered and smiled at the raven haired woman who was trying to make up her mind if this upstart witch was teasing or if the girl was simply just that nice of a person.

"You're not afraid of me are you?" Luna asked leaning forward and fixing the girl with her gaze and to her surprise the girl stared right back, not with the same force of will as the Slayer or the Red Witch did, but there was potential there that she couldn't ignore.

"Should I be?" Emily asked meeting the dark woman's steady gaze, trying to steady her breathing and remember what Willow had taught her during their talks. Never let them see you nervous. Meet them on their own ground and never ever give them the idea you fear them in any way what so ever. Straight from Willow Rosenberg's Guide to Dealing with Vampires Who Like To Talk.

"You, I like," Luna chuckled and Emily just smiled back at the woman. Trying not to think about how she'd torn apart the men who had come for them while shouting angrily about whom she was and what she could do. Seeing the raven haired beauty so savagely tear into the men had both terrified and excited the dark blond witch.

* * *

><p>Buffy ran down the hallway dragging Willow behind her both girls could hear the beating of heavy footsteps behind them as the blond girl spared a look over her shoulder, her icy blue eyes wide and fangs gleaming in a loud hiss. They'd been making their way through the tunnels that seem to run underneath Largo's tower while looking for the prison that held Prince Daniel, the leader of the City's Undying, but so far their luck hadn't improved and Buffy's pointed ears had started picking up footsteps and chatter.<p>

"Come on!" Willow urged her on as she took over pulling the frustrated Slayer along, the tunnels under the Largo building extended for miles it seems and they were nowhere closer to their goal.

"Where is the damn cell?" Buffy cursed and raced down another straight corridor now jogging next to Willow.

"I don't know!" Willow whispered harshly back out of frustration, her eyes squinting in the gloom of the tunnels. "Maybe you shouldn't have run Largo through the neck before he finished talking!" she added both of them running on adrenaline and fumes by now. Add to that one near death experience and the fact that Buffy was feeling her urge for blood so strong that her fangs itched after having to heal up from being slammed into that wall. Simply put tempers were fraying.

"Sorry but he was just pissing me off!" the blond hissed back as they came to another tightly sealed steel door. The tunnels construction was more like that of burrowing rodents then any solid construction so often they'd turn a corner and just run into a wall or a tightly sealed door like this one.

"What is it with this guy!" the red head growled and pressed her glowing green hand against the door and Buffy's sensitive ears could hear the locks inside it moving as the witch applied her will to the locks.

"Beats me," she shrugged taking up a defensive position holding her sword in both hands and her icy blue eyes scanning the gloomy darkness behind them.

"You know this is turning into the worst plan ever right?" Willow muttered as her brow started to sweat from the straining of applying her magic to the tiny components of the door's lock.

"Look I ran every imaginable scenario through my head a thousand times! The Gathering thing wouldn't have worked, so just get the door open, lets safe Prince Danny and then get the hell out of this damn City!" Buffy explained for what felt like the one hundredth time that night how this was the best plan of action all things considered. Yet even she could admit that things had gone a bit pear-shaped.

"Gee grumpy Slayer alert," Willow chuckled, despite everything that had gone down she was still able to see the cuteness in her frustrated girlfriend. Finally the door gave up the fight and she commanded it open with a gesture of her green glowing hand. Stepping into a small cell, both girls froze in place as strong cold and bony hands clutched them both by the throat.

**To be continued...**


	21. Chapter 20: Giving Up or Giving In

**Chapter 20: Giving Up or Giving In**

Willow struggled for air while Buffy just stared down at the almost skeletal face of Daniel, the Prince of the City, her cold blue eyes narrowing as she could sense the hunger in him and she focused her will like Luna had taught her and spoke in a firm voice.

"My Prince we've come to rescue you," she said and behind him she saw broken shackles and walls pockmarked with holes from where he'd undoubtedly tried everything to get out. He still wore a torn dark purple turtleneck and the remains of what had once been a fine black suit.

When she had last met Prince Daniel he'd been a calm collected man with short grey hair and intense blue eyes and a disposition at seemed be in a constant flux between mirthful humor and cold calculated stares.

"Miss Summers..." the once regal looking man croaked out, recognition dawning on his gaunt face and Willow let out a loud oomph when he dropped them to the ground with the lithe and limber Slayer landing on her feet but the not so lucky witch landing flat on her butt.

"Yes my Prince, we've come to take you away from here," Buffy went on still focusing her formidable mind on the Prince to keep his bloodlust in check. His eyes glazed over and his mouth hung open as his saliva tripped from his fangs. His hair, shock white in thick dirty clumps, stuck out at various angles from his scalp.

"What's wrong with him?" Willow asked getting to her feet and studying the mesmerized Undying in front of them.

"They've not let him feed," Buffy answered without taking her eyes of the Prince "I'm using a trick Luna taught me to... keep him calm," she explained and the glare from Willow was obvious.

"So how do we make him better?" Willow asked beating down the little green monster swelling up inside her. One of these days she and Luna Largo would have it out, but this was not the time or place for relationship drama.

"Blood," Buffy answered back her voice straining as even in his weakened state the Prince possessed a formidable mind. "Danny Boy you're not making this easy," she grunted and put a finger on her temple.

"Okay then," the red-headed witch nodded her head and with Buffy distracted she grabbed the Slayer's sword and opened up a small gash on her palm.

"Willow what are you doing?" the blond protested but the Prince's mind was already starting to push back her and she couldn't react fast enough to stop the determined looking witch.

"We need him sane to get out of here," Willow stated firmly. Showing quick thinking though her voice sounded exhausted and ragged.

"And you've said that we need him," she went on and stepped up to the Prince and pressed her bleeding palm against his lips. She shivered and her face twisted in disgust as a long tongue started licking at the blood flowing out of the cut in her palm. Was this what Buffy could become she couldn't help herself from thinking.

"That's enough Willow," Buffy stated firmly as she could feel Daniel's power growing with each lick of Willow's sweet blood. Something inside the blond Slayer was screaming out for her to stop this, not out of some notion of love or affection. Rather it was a little dark voice in the back of her head whispering that she shouldn't let what she owned being fed on by another.

"Don't tell me what to do," the red-head hissed back as her eyes started to glow with a dull green flame. With a whimper Buffy's hold over the Prince's mind broke and Willow could feel her arm being gripped and the licks turned into a strong greedy suction.

"Oh no I'm nobodies' Happy Meal," the flame haired witch growled and pressed the palm of her hand against the Prince's stomach as his face was slowly filling out again then with a burst of green energy she sent the man stumbling backwards with a wild look to his eyes.

Then she turned to face her girlfriend and pointed a finger at her with the tip glowing bright green. "And you stop that train of thought right now!" the pissed off witch ordered her and Buffy still recovering from being forcefully repelled from Daniel's mind could only muster a week 'who-me' look before a loud groan drew the quarrelling lovers attention.

Prince Daniel blinked a few times, looking at the two young women in front of him, he recognized the blond as Alfeo's latest protégé and then he looked down at the rags he was wearing. Rummaging around in the pocket of his pants he pulled a pair of battered wire-rimmed glasses and put them on. His once bloods-shot eyes were clear now and the fog started to lift from his mind.

"Elisabeth?" he asked almost if not believing his eyes and Buffy nodded her head while Willow couldn't keep up her indignant anger and gave a little giggle at her girlfriend acknowledging the name.

"And Miss Rosenberg we meet at last," the Prince said nodding his head to the still grinning witch who through a mixture of exhaustion burst out giggling again.

"Elisabeth?" Willow giggled and pointed at the scowling Slayer. While the smirking Prince had clearly not lost his streak of evil humor through weeks of incarceration just watched the pair.

"Yes very funny, let's all gang up on the Slayer," Buffy huffed and frowned at her tormentors.

"Could we like hold off on the whole embarrassing me thing until we're out of her and drinking Bloody Maries at Alfie's?" she asked her pointed ears twitching as she stayed alert through it all.

"Yes of course. Am I correct in assuming you decided to 'screw' the Gathering then and just outright rescue me?" the Prince asked poking his head out of the cell that he'd been privy to for the summer. Motioning for the pair to follow him they slipped out of the cell with Willow pulling the door closed behind them by a wave of her hand.

"Yes the other factions and clans just didn't want to rock the boat," Buffy explained as they started making their way down the tunnels following Daniel's lead. "Thought it was better to come rescue you and let you sort it out," she added with a grin.

"They are a fickle bunch of bloody idiots sometimes" the prince uncharacteristically cursed as he let them through the twisting maze, then without turning around her added. "Although Princess Summers has a nice ring to it," he commented almost sounding wishful. Before Buffy could ask what the hell he meant Willow stepped in with a question that had been bothering her.

"So how come you know your way around down here?" she asked as the floor felt like it was starting to slope upwards and she could smell a faint hint of the sea.

"I'm very, very, old Miss Rosenberg," was the only reply she got as they came to another heavy and sealed door. This time the two undying just dug the fingers into the crack and pulled it open while Willow watched their backs.

Stepping out of through door they found themselves in a small cave and out of through the entrance they could see a sandy beach. Willow blinked her eyes a few times and then she took a big gulp of fresh air, then door slammed shut behind them making her jump and give a nervous grin to her eyebrow raising companions. She really didn't like being stuck underground because it felt too much like a tomb. So she was rather proud of herself for making it through their little trek.

"I assume you have plan that goes beyond getting drunk Elisabeth?" Daniel asked the Slayer who was already pulling out a battered looking cell phone from her jacket as they made their way out of the cave. She nodded her head as she looked across the bay where the warehouse district was still on fire.

"Alfie, yeah it's me, we need a pick up at... where ever the hell we are..." she said into the phone and then froze hearing the crackle of shock-sticks and looking up to see the entrance of the cave-surrounded by a group of Largo's men.

"Shit Alfie, we're on a beach and we can see the warehouse district across the bay," she shouted into the phone before dropping it, still open, on the ground and pulling out her sword in one smooth and fluid motion. "Get here now!" she shouted as the masked guards started to advance on them.

It had been all too easy and she'd been fully aware of it while they made their way through the tunnels as again Largo had seemingly out played her. Why throw away men in hunting them down in small groups in dark tunnels when he could just position a squad of them at the exit. It's what she would do in his place she had to grudgingly admit.

Taking a quick stock of their chances she didn't like them one bit. Daniel was running on what little blood Willow had fed him, the witch's face was pale from the herculean effort of getting them out of their last ambush followed by her heart stopping from the strain of too much magic use. As for herself she could feel her limbs aching and the hunger for blood rising in her stomach. Things did not look good, but somehow she had to find hope that her make-shift plan would hold up.

* * *

><p>In the Coven's hide-out Luna sighed and tried to calm her mind. Inside her, the dual natures waged their constant war.<p>

She had found a quiet space where she could just sit on the floor with her back against the wall and her knees pulled to her chin. She'd taken her coat off and it lay folded by her side revealing the front of her purple t-shirt stained dark with blood from her fight earlier.

Her agile mind was already scheming how to turn these girls into an asset, especially that Emily one who had such fire in her eyes and courage in her heart. Her ears sought out the girl's heartbeat and she could hear it strong and steady.

"No," she whispered to herself, fighting back against instincts honed over hundreds of years. She didn't want to exploit these young women, she had promised to keep them safe. She needed to keep Emily safe. _She_needed to change, she was coming to realize and it was damn girl scouts fault. It was all Buffy's and her red-headed little pixie of a witch's fault.

When she had squared off against Willow in the armory a lot of things had passed between the two strong willed women. One lingering thought that the witch had implanted her mind was that of utter loneliness and despair. The red-headed witch with her silver-streaked hair was far more devious than anybody suspected. Well, she'd always suspected, of course, but as a Largo she didn't like being outplayed.

Yet despite the self-doubt Willow had caused in her she couldn't blame the red-headed pixie-faced witch for doing what she had done. Implanting said doubts, although devious and morally questionable, was helping her in a twisted sort of way.

"Hey. You okay?" a soft voice tore her from her internal struggle. She looked up and saw the friendly round face of Emily staring down at her. The girl was wearing a leather jacket to ward of the slight chill of the tunnels they were hiding in. After their escape they were now just waiting for the all clear from Lily who was deep in meditation in one of the many small rooms dug into the bedrock.

"Yes. I am fine, thank you," she answered a bit more coldly then she would have wanted, but the friendly witch only nodded and smiled at her as she sat down next to her. A bit closer than Luna was ready to deal with.

"Must be hard, uh? Turning your back on your family like that. Is that the right word?" the girl asked as Luna forced a smile.

"Yes and it sounds like you have experience in these matters," she guessed forcing back every teasing comment that came to her as the dark blond witch just smiled at her.

"Yeah my dad wasn't really on board for the whole 'Coven thing'," Emily answered making air-quotes with her fingers. "But at least he's not trying to kill me," she added and then froze when Luna raised her eyebrow at her.

"Sorry, sorry, sometimes I sometimes just say whatever I'm thinking! I'm sorry. Please don't go all... I'm Luna Isabella Anne Largo on me please..." the panicking young witch blurted out and putting her arms in front of her to ward of the attack she was sure was coming.

"My word... You're just adorable," Luna chuckled with a slightly feral grin on her face. "Don't worry too much about me and my brother. Let's just say this isn't the first time we have tried to kill each other," she said putting her hand on Emily's shoulder. To her credit, the girl didn't flinch. "Also I would never hurt anybody as… sweet… as you…" she tried to say in her usual purr but the pressure behind her eyes was making it hard to form coherent sentences.

Then her grip tightened and her dark eyes went wide while Emily's face filled with fear. What she didn't know is that at that moment Willow's mind was slamming against the Undying woman's. An urgent plea for help from across the City then the dark blond witch winched in pain as she was sure her collarbone was about to crack before the frozen woman relaxed her grip.

"I've got to go," Luna stated and pulled herself to her full height, pulling her coat around her lithe form as she rose.

"What… why?" Emily asked getting to her feet confused as to what was going on. One minute she was sure the Undying woman was flirting with her and the next she was running off and for some reason she didn't like the idea of the raven haired and porcelain faced beauty leaving.

"Willow and Buffy are in trouble. It would take too long to explain how I know," Luna rattled of as she went to what looked like a solid wall, but after pushing in an innocent looking rock it slid in and to the side.

"Then I'm coming with you," Emily said firmly, zipping up her jacket and getting ready to follow the Undying woman.

"You will do no such thing," Luna stated firmly as she turned around and their eyes locked.

"Oh no you don't!" the dark blonde which laughed looking away from the manipulative raven haired woman, she'd seen what she had done to the men who had come to kill them at the brownstone townhouse so she knew better than to let the manipulative schemer make eye-contact. "Willow is my friend and you'll need somebody to watch your back," she stated holding up a red glowing index finger and touching it to the Luna's nose.

Frowning and wondering if she should just knock the girl out and go Luna went cross-eyed without realizing looking at the glowing digit touching her pale nose. It was the witch's giggles brought her back to her sense and she felt slight warmth creep into her cheeks. It seemed like everybody was playing her these days, although with Emily she didn't mind it so much.

"Fine but don't come crying to me if you get disemboweled," she said pulling her hair into a tight ponytail before taking off down the hidden tunnel with the grinning witch following behind her. The stonewall slipped back into place behind him and Emily yelped as the darkness enveloped them, but then she felt a cold smooth fingers wrap around her wrist and then she felt herself being pulled along.

"You know I could just be making this up to get you somewhere dark so I can feed on you," Luna purred in the darkness and tighten her grip on Emily's hand.

"Well I trust you," was the reply from the witch and for a moment the grip on her loosened before becoming even stronger. Unable to resist Emily added. "Plus who says I wouldn't mind having you suck on my neck a little bit," she added and was glad that the darkness hid the blush creeping into her cheeks.

"Be careful what you wish for little witch," was the chuckled answer in the darkness as the undying woman dragged the young witch along towards the surface and hopefully towards Willow's and Buffy's aid.

* * *

><p>Buffy was out of options she realized as she, Willow and Daniel were between the proverbial rock and a hard place, facing down a squad of Largo's men by themselves on a deserted beach.<p>

They were trapped with cliffs behind them and the wall of masked men in front and then the sea stretched out endlessly. Casually pulling off her jacket and eyeing up the small army arrayed against her Buffy let out a weary sigh. She was getting tired of all this fighting and she was also so very hungry.

Despite having strength in numbers the men surrounding them looked nervous and hesitant. They had after all been getting reports all night long of their co-workers being brutalized, either by the two girls in front of them or their friends across the City. They were still mopping up the squad that had went after the witches of the floor and the unlucky few who had ran into the two mad Brits in the warehouse district had been reduced to blubbering wrecks.

"Any ideas?" Buffy asked as she found herself back to back with the Witch and the Prince, her mind furiously looking for a way out of this.

"I'm trying…" Willow answered through gritted teeth her eyelids fluttering and the Slayer could sense that the red-headed mistress of magic was projecting her mind outwards.

"I'm afraid time is up ladies," Daniel answered as the men seemed to find the courage and started advancing on them, the circle closing around them. Buffy let out a heavy sigh and glanced skyward and then she looked at Willow, her pale beautiful Willow while in her mind she realized what she had to do. There was a cough as Daniel wiped the blood from his mouth further driving home the fact to Buffy that it was all down to her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered and then in an instant she was on the first man, a steel-like cold focus in her eyes as she twisted his head backwards, breaking his and then biting into his throat, drinking heavily from the warm rich blood gushing forth.

"No!" Willow shouted out seeing her strong willed lover give in at a long last gave into her urges and worse she was doing it for her. "No, no, Buffy no!" the flame-haired witch muttered and then yelled as she threw her hands in front of her, sending green crackling lightning into a row of Largo's men.

Very Emperor-like as Xander undoubtedly would have said if he was there, but he wasn't, it was only her and Buffy and the times of innocent and carefree levity were long past them now.

Buffy was now feral with blood running down her chin staining the front of her white blouse and her icy blue eyes turning blood-red as the taste of the thick and warm lifeblood filled her senses. It was all so clear now she realized. The men started screaming and through her bloodlust the Slayer embraced into an Undying observed how soft their bodies were and for example how easily an arm could be torn from the shoulder.

"Damn you… all…. for this…" Willow cursed in a ragged breath as she fell to one knee and kept frying the guards until her magic started to sputter and fade. She watched as her girlfriend, her kind and compassionate Buffy ripped of a man's arm and then used it as a make shift club.

She didn't have long to mourn the loss of innocence though as two guards tried to outflank them. Only to be met with a swift and brutal end as in a last desperate measure Willow brought out her stake and with what strength she could muster drove it through a man's throat causing him to stumble back only to be set upon by Daniel, who greedily tore into his bleeding throat. He then turned on the next unlucky guard only to see him run into the sea ablaze in green fire. It was like a blow to the skull when he felt the Slayer's blood addled mind reach out to his and he could make out only a vague notion of love and safety. Turning to the red-head witch now on her knees trying to draw on her failing reserves of magic, he realized that the Slayer was only buying them time.

"I suggest we retreat Miss Rosenberg," he said with blood running down his chin, taking her by the arm dragging her to the cave again as the fury of the Slayer had let the guards to forget about them. The men scared and horrified now too busy either trying to flee or pile on top of the enraged blond woman.

"Let go of me!" the red-head hissed angrily as there was a blood curdling scream that died in an instant and she looked up in time to see Buffy throwing away what looked like it belonged on the inside of the body not the outside. Then the Prince again started dragging her towards the caves and with all her might she kicked and tried to fight out of his grip. Every time she tried to draw on her magic her head just ached like it was on fire.

"No, no, no she can't keep it up forever we've got to help her!" she shouted as the numbers started becoming too much for the blood lusted Slayer, her face twisted into a feral mask and she howled as the heavy blows from the guards still standing started connecting. The crackling shock-sticks sending her into convulsions causing pink foam to froth out of her mouth as she tried to keep fighting until finally she fell to her knees.

Through the haze Buffy saw a group of the guards grabbing Willow and Daniel and restraining them. Daniel convulsing as they shocked him for good measure having seen him feed earlier and having learned from when capturing him not to give the Prince any quarter. She looked at her love, her Willow with one blood red eye through the throng of men beating on her. Moving her mouth she whispered; "I'm sorry," to the witch before she fell flat on the sandy beach. "NO!" the red-head witch screamed and struggled against the men holding her back. "Stop it! Stop it!" she raged as she tried again to draw on her power but again it failed her.

The beaten down Slayer through willpower alone somehow kept dragging herself towards the restrained witch as the men kept beating and kicking her each time she tried to raise herself up, compliments of Victor Largo she was sure. She could feel the hot blood she'd forcefully taken pounding through her veins giving her strength, but the weight of numbers had defeated her.

Just as she was reaching Willow a white suited figured stepped between her and her goal. She looked up through her one good icy blue eye, the other now just a blood red orb. She looked up at a grinning Victor Largo with his neck heavily bandaged from their earlier encounter. All she could was claw at his pants with her bloodied and torn fingers. leaving red streaks on the white silky fabric.

"Oh my, aren't we the dumb blonde today," he teased her in a hoarse voice that sounded like he'd spent the last hundred years on a diet of whiskey and cigarettes. Clearly the runes Willow had traced her on her blade before they had set out had messed with his Undying healing ability.

"Fuck you," she spat out with droplets of blood leaving her lips. Behind her there was a trail of blood. Some from the slaughtered men, but a lot of it her own. She could barely stand and all she could hear was Willow struggling and the grunts as the guards' stared working Daniel over again for good measure.

Largo pushed her back onto the sand with a snarl and then the tip of a highly polished leather shoe connected with her head with a sickening thud as she slumped fully onto the sand and he turned to face the restrained witch.

"Having trouble casting your foul magic Miss Rosenberg?" he asked the furious witch whose rage was now replaced by a steely resolved face.

"I don't know how you've done it, but once I undo it I am going to flay you with my mind!" Willow stated in a low quiet voice.

"I told you little Witch that I was well prepared for your kind, but I would love to see you try," he grinned at the steely faced witch. "Or maybe I should just drain your pretty little body and be done with it," he chuckled and nodded for the men holding Willow to force her head back.

"Victor stop!" Luna's voice rang out as she came stalking around the cliffs with a winded Emily following behind her.

"Ah the players are all here I see!" Victor laughed and lowered his fangs to Willow's pale neck. A crackling bolt of red magic fizzled against his shield courtesy of Emily who stood beside Luna with her arm outstretched and a shocked looked on her face. He snarled at the impudent witch, but then his eyes went wide as bright spotlights started beaming down onto the beach from the tops of the cliffs surrounding it.

Luna pushed Emily behind her as a few of her brother's men tried to rush them. There was an explosion of movement as the Undying Woman wordlessly this time dispatched her attackers and just as she was about to punch the last one's lights out. A crackling bolt of red set him flying backwards. Looking over her shoulder at the grinning blond witch with a raised eyebrow, the doe-eyed witch just shrugged which was something Luna couldn't help not to smile at.

"It's over Largo. Just let Red go and we can get to the part where we beat the shite out of you," Spike shouted down leaning cockily against one of the trucks that lined the top of the cliffs with Giles coming up behind him looking over the scene with a worried look on his face, spotting his bloodied Slayer on the sand sending him running to the edge of the cliffs.

From the sea came the sound of boats being driven up onto the beach as Largo's men didn't know which way to turn, but their leader with his fangs bared at Willow's throat seemed to take not notice of the circle closing in.

Looking up from a pool of her own blood Buffy spotted Giles standing on the edge of the cliffs above her and the tiny part of her mind that wasn't in pain sparked with one last desperate idea. She lifted her hand towards him in what looked like desperation almost if begging for her Watcher to come save her. She mouthed; "Please…" as Largo turned and hissed at her in disgust, but it did take his attention of Willow for a second and that was all it took.

Something gleaming came twirling through the air which Buffy then caught with a grunt and Largo's eyes went wide as he saw an obsidian blade clutched in the Slayer's bloodied fist. Which was nothing compared to his surprise though when her heard a very evil chuckle coming from his intended victory snack.

"I said it earlier! I'm nobodies' Happy Meal!" Willow stated in a firm serious voice as her eyes started glowing faintly green as she did to Largo what she'd done to Daniel earlier, a burst of green energy sending him flying backwards with his white suit on fire.

As he furiously beat out the flames he turned and came face to face with the bloodied visage of one very angry Buffy Summer who had somehow found the strength to haul herself to her feet.

Her nostrils flaring, her eyes narrowed and the pointed tip of her left ear torn, she made a fearsome vision with the obsidian blade clutched in her hand with blood running down the gleaming dark steel.

"Who is the dumb blond now bitch?" she spat at him and then kicked him hard in the Largo family jewels so hard he rose up from the ground before falling to his knees. Then she simply turned away, paused and without a moments' hesitation she spun back around with Giles' blade finishing the job she'd started earlier in the evening.

There was a stunned silence as Victor's Largo's head came away from his body and bounced twice on the sand before coming to a rest with a surprised look frozen on its dead face. Emily buried her face in Luna's shoulder at the gruesome sight. Spike pumped his fist in the air as Giles scrambled down the near vertical climb to reach his Slayer.

The last thing Buffy remembered was Willow shouting her name as her own body could go on no longer. She looked to the sea, in her foggy mind it made an odd type of sense to just walk towards it. The Undying Slayer fell to her knees in the surf and then she toppled forward face first into the water. Then it was dark again.

**To be concluded…**

**Author's quick note: **100k words reached time to bring this story home**  
><strong>


	22. Chapter 21: By the Light of the Dawn

**Chapter 21: By the Light of the Dawn**

The darkness felt familiar and oddly comforting, she was warm and her limbs didn't ache anymore. Then there was that sweet voice calling her name and she tried to open her eyes, but they wouldn't open no matter how hard she tried. The voice then told her to go back to sleep and she felt compelled to obey for some reason and again there was the darkness, her old friend.

"Is she going to be alright Red?" Spike asked Willow as they sat by Buffy's bedside. The Undying Slayer had seemed to be stirring before falling back into a deep slumber. It had been like this ever since they had brought her bruised and beaten body back to the mansion. Three days had now past since she took a savage beating to trick Victor Largo out into the open and then beheading him.

"We've been feeding her, making her comfortable, all we can do is to wait and see. I mean it's not like we can bring in a doctor," the red-haired witch spoke in an almost robotic voice, her flame red hair sporting a new silver streak as a testament to how she'd overtaxed herself.

"Look Red, there is nothing you could have done," the British born vampire, turned best mate for entirety to the blond Slayer sleeping on the bed, tried comfort the guilt ridden witch. The pair had bonded over hard drink and their mutual affection for the red-haired witch now keeping vigil over her beloved Slayer.

"I should have been able to Spike. I have all this power and I couldn't stop them from beating her until she couldn't stand," the red-head protested. "I felt so… useless…" she whimpered and in a rare display of tenderness the bleach blond vampire put his arm around the petite girl.

"You did your part, just like she would have wanted," Giles spoke from the doorway, the Watcher's face was drawn and worn, showing signs of little sleep and much worry. Willow could see he was barely holding together as she looked up from Spike's welcomed hug.

"Well she should have told me," she murmured in protest. Ever since the full extended of Buffy's reckless plan had come to light Willow had been troubled. The way Buffy had willingly sacrificed herself and more importantly without telling her about it. They had promised each other they would be together for eternity, but this along with her own little brush with death in the catacombs under Largo's tower had filled her with doubt.

"Buffy will always try to protect you Red, like it or not," Spike said and stood up. Leaning down her whispered something into the comatose Slayer's ear that nobody heard and then left the room with a grin on his face as Giles and Willow exchanged confused looked.

* * *

><p>Across the city a top of the battered Largo Tower, Luna Isabella Anne Largo stood on the helipad looking over the city. Her raven black hair whipping around her face, until she stubbornly pushed it back over her shoulders. It was all hers now she thought, yet it didn't feel like a victory. In retrospect she hadn't done the deed. No she had been relegated to saving the innocents and it had been Buffy who had rather neatly removed her brother's annoying head from his body.<p>

Still no matter how often she told herself to take the easy victory and move forward it didn't feel quite right.

How it all had played out left a foul taste in her mouth if she was honest about it. Even though the outcome had been along the lines of what she had planned for Buffy from the first time she had met the spirited young woman.

Seeing the girl she'd embraced take a beating so savage she was surprised the girl was able to stand after it had left her feeling guilty, a very unfamiliar feeling to her. Then leaving the girl with the blood of her brother on her hands and all the trouble that would come from that act, well that made her feel downright rotten. Needless to say all these feelings were quite foreign to Luna Largo.

"You are a hard… woman… to find…" someone huffed and puffed from behind her, causing Luna to turn around to see Emily climbing up onto the wind-swept helipad. The doe-eyed witch was shivering a bit in her thin pink jacket and her dark blond hair was blowing about in the stiff wind. The young and innocent witch stirring yet another unfamiliar reaction in Luna's heart and she didn't like it one bit.

"Maybe I don't want to be found," she muttered and turned her eyes back out over the city trying to ignore the young witch carefully making her way next to her. Luna's coat flapped around her legs in the stiff breeze and he could hear the thudding heartbeat of the girl next to her. The dull thuds of the girl's heart forcing her to close her eyes and fight with all her might against her instincts.

"Well I found you so what you going to do?" Emily asked looking down over the edge of the helipad, down at the busy street below, gulping as she realized how high up they were. Turning her porcelain white face to regard the fearless witch Luna slipped her arm around the girl's waist, just to steady her of course, she told herself as she heart the girl's heartbeat pick up.

"Maybe have you for dinner, I mean take you out for dinner," she stated flatly and the doe-eyed witch looked at her before shaking her head sadly.

"Your jokes are awful Miss Luna Isabella Anne Largo," the lion hearted witch chuckled and leaned her head against the raven haired beauty's shoulder. "You don't scare me," she said softly and felt the Undying woman's hold on her waist tighten.

"One day I might," Luna replied honestly, but still sporting a small smile on her lips showing her pearly white fangs. This little witch was fearless and it would one day get her into a lot of trouble.

"Not tonight though right?" Emily asked hopefully, looking at the profile of Luna's regal face and finding herself drawn in by it. Everything Willow had taught her told her to take the hint and walk away, but she couldn't.

"Not tonight no," was the reply as she turned them away from the edge. Walking past the shattered and boarded up skylight to the stairs leading down into the penthouse.

* * *

><p>She was back in the dream that she remember from last time she'd been here. She was sitting under an old oak tree watching a family at play outside white painted mansion. She could see Willow showing a strawberry blond girl of maybe six or seven years how to levitate a small rock and through the window into the kitchen she could see herself working, older for sure, but it was still her.<p>

"You're back I see," an almost see-through apparition that looked like Willow said as it sat down next to her.

"You're a bit more see-through-y then the last time," Buffy wearing a simple white dress commented on her dream-guide's appearance.

"Well it's only natural, you have your Willow now, so I'm just a fading dream," the dream-Willow said.

"Am I dead again?" Buffy asked without so much as blinking, it was becoming rather common occurrence for her to shed her mortal shell she realized and panicking about it didn't do her any good.

"Not quite. You're in a happy little coma at the moment with everybody very worried about you," the apparition said and then paused before grinning evilly. "Or you're dead on that beach with Victor Largo curb-stomping on your skull," it then added.

"You know for a figment of my imagination you're very cruel," the blond Slayer commented ruefully as she watched her older-self step out onto the porch with a tray of what looked like lemonade, although one of the glasses contained a very blood red liquid.

"Hey it's your mind, I just live in it," the apparition commented with a big Willow like smile. They kept watching as a grey-haired Giles arrived with a dark haired woman on his arm that she only saw from behind. Then Spike pulled up looking the same as always, one by one her friends and family arrived on the scene making her sadder with each arrival

"I would like to wake up now please and thank you," Buffy said as she noticed that her dream-self didn't have pointed ears or icy blue dead eyes. She didn't like being shown things she would never have.

"You sure, it's awfully cozy here," the apparition asked as the dream started to shift around them, taking them to another scene of ideal domestic bliss that Buffy knew was now forever denied to her. This time it was Christmas and she wasn't having any of it even though Spike looked silly in Santa outfit with what looked like two helpers on each knee.

"I said… I want to … wake up now… Please!" she started of whispering and ended up screaming as the dream around her shattered into a million pieces and she sat up with a jolt on the bed, coughing up blood as the pain of the real world assaulted her senses.

"Oh my god, Buffy!" Willow exclaimed rushing over to the coughing Slayer with a towel to catch the blood.

"June! Giles! Spike! Anybody please come quick!" the red-headed witch called out as she watched her girlfriend retch and cough up blood while manically gasping for air. Thankfully June came rushing in carrying a non-descript bottle that was clearly filled with blood.

"Here lass drink this," the kindly ginger haired woman said bringing the flask to Buffy's lips as Willow rubbed her back. The Slayer greedily drank down the offered blood, not strong enough to deny it.

"How… long…." she croaked out as Willow cleaned the blood of her lips before she took another long gulp of the offered blood feeling her senses returning to her, first her hearing and then things stopped moving in a blur.

"Three days pet," Spike said from the door and she could sense Giles hovering by the side of the bed now as she noted that everything felt so heavy for some reason.

"Largo?" she asked before draining the last few drops from the bottle June had brought and then she threw it away once she realized what she'd been drinking. The bottle shattered against the wall next to Spike who didn't even flinch.

"You made him about a foot shorter, don't you remember?" Giles asked with a steadying hand on her shoulder as Willow kept rubbing her back. Slowly the memories of the burning pain of the Largo's men beating on her started coming back to her and she shuttered. Then the memory of Largo's head rolling on the sand with a surprised look on his face, which made her smirk despite herself.

"You had me so worried," Willow blurted out unable to hold back much longer and hugged her girlfriend tightly, for the moment all her fears were forgotten because Buffy was awake.

"So we won?" the blond slayer asked blinking a few times as her agile mind seemed to be processing what had happened three days ago. Willow just eagerly nodded and kissed her on the lips ignoring the blood, wanting to just show Buffy how much she cared for her.

"Yeah we won kind of. I mean Daniel and Alfeo have been running around for the past three days to restore order, but everybody seems to be going back to business as usual," she answered in a downbeat voice after breaking the kiss. The cost of their hallow victory was evident on Giles' drawn face, in Willow's fresh silver streak running through her hair and the stitches in Buffy's left ear. Oddly enough Spike seemed mostly unaffected, although Willow knew something inside the vampire had changed over the course of the summer.

"Well I guess that will just have to do," the Slayer said following a long depressing silence. She then dug deep down and somehow found her beaming smile again, now with added fangs of course and it seemed to lighten everyone's mood. Then she hugged Willow tightly as she could and whispered into her girlfriend's ear. "I'd like to go home now please" to which the red-headed witch could only nod.

* * *

><p>A few days later Buffy was adjusting her suit in front of the mirror in the mansion's foray. She would never admit it, but she rather liked the expensive suits Alfie had provided for her and would be sad to see them go. Adjusting her hair while looking into the mirror she ran her finger over the scar running across her left ear. According to Willow they hadn't been able to get her enough blood in time so their only course of action had been to stitch her torn ear back into place. Not that she was too bothered, what was one more scar after all.<p>

"You sure I can't convince you to stay on?" Alfeo asked her, appearing like a phantom behind her, which after working for him for what felt like so long, didn't even make her jump anymore. "We could always use another 'sheriff'," he offered.

"I'm sorry Alfie, but no thanks, not even if Daniel offers to make me a Princess," she laughed her pearly laugh echoing in the large foray and then she looked around just to make sure Daniel wasn't skulking about somewhere to do just that.

"Well he was rather hoping he could retire," the thin elegant man who had become her mentor and benefactor over the past few months chuckled.

"Maybe in a couple hundred years, okay?" Buffy suggested with a gentle smile. "For now I've had my fill of Undying politics, they're rather… Ouchy," she commented rubbing her stitched up ear causing Alfeo to just smile and nod his head knowingly.

"Just know that you'll always have a place here Elisabeth," he said putting his hand on her shoulder as she finished hiding her ears under her newly blond dyed hair.

Buffy feeling the hand on her shoulder turned around and hugged the Undying man who had given her guidance and a purpose when she'd been so lost. Squeezing him a bit too tightly and eventually lifting up him of the ground, to his credit Alfeo didn't even flinch instead her rather awkwardly padded her on the back.

"Mister Giles has returned to Sunnydale as you are aware of I am sure," he said once the Slayer put him down adjusting his pressed suit and fixing his tie almost looking phased by the Slayer's show of affection.

"Yes and Spike took off with Jacobella last night. That's got a sting a bit eh?" she asked him teasingly only to be rewarded with a raised eyebrow.

"My daughter despite appearances is very capable of making her own decisions," he stated with what sounded like a well-practiced statement. To which Buffy could only nod and smile sympathetically.

"Just give me a call if you ever need my help. I might be retiring as your go-to girl, but I look out for my friends okay?" she asked to which the tall man just nodded and then handed her a set of keys.

"The James Bond-mobile?" she asked referring to her boss' Aston Martin and Alfie nodded with a bit of a pained look on his face.

"Think of it as a part of your severance package," he said with a thin smile. "Your bags have been loaded into it and it is as you would say; good to go," he went on and was rewarded with another bone-crushing hug.

"Put him down already," came Willow's giggling voice from the stairs and Buffy looked over Alfeo's shoulder at the stunning figure of her girlfriend wearing a thin pale green sundress with her silver streaked red-hair flowing freely around her shoulders. Letting out a whistle she lowered Alfeo to the floor again as he rubbed his aching ribs. Walking up to the bottom of the stairs and holding out her hand for her girlfriend Buffy couldn't hide her smile.

"You ready to go home?" Willow asked taking the pale and cold hand offered to her with a smile.

"I'm ready to go anywhere with you," Buffy replied smoothly and through the window's they could see the sun rising so the red-haired witch reached over and pulled a pair of sunglasses out of her girlfriend's jacket and put them on her grinning face.

"Thanks for everything Alfeo," Willow said over her shoulder to the Undying who choose to stand in the shadows inside the mansion to see them off.

"You two go enjoy yourselves," was the answer as the two lovers stepped out into the light of the dawn. After the doors closed behind them Prince Daniel stepped out of the shadows and shook his head sadly.

"I told you my Prince. You do not just make her a Princess," Alfeo commented as the two leaders of the Undying headed into the bowls of the mansion.

"I know my old friend, but make no mistake about it that Elisabeth is Royalty. Like it or not she will become a Princess sooner then she would prefer," the grey-haired Undying replied then chuckled as they could hear the terrified shrieks of Willow as Buffy tore of down the driveway of the mansion in Alfeo's pride and joy.

**The End of Royalty**

**To be continued in Through Thick and Thin!**

**Author's Final words…**

So now that it's completed what do you guys think?

I would like first of all to thank you for reading this story. Whether you've been here for every update or just read the completed story.

I want to give a big thanks to my beta reader Dorian Windslasher who has been my sounding board and control chip at times. Also want to give a shout-out to Antonia23 who has been faithfully reviewing every chapter and has really kept me going at times.

I've got the sequel roughly planned out at the time of writing this and those of you who read the orginal version of this series know that there is a lot more to come. Although not quite the same as it was. Things did after all play out very different this time around then in the 1998 version of this story. About 80.000 words longer and a bit darker at least.

I estimate about a month or so before I post the first chapter(s) of Through Thick and Thin as I'm also working on another idea called „The Science of Slaying" which comes from an idea rolled around with my beta reader that puts forth the question of what would Willow do without magic.

Again thanks for reading.


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